Lowell F. Piedt 1934-2023 Lowell Frederick Piedt passed away September 8, 2023 with peace in heart, ready for his next adventure. He was born to Ethel Pearl and Henry Piedt November 11, 1934 near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Until the second grade he lived on the family prairie farm. “Snow up to my ears walking to school” he often reminded his children. Farm life meant learning the value of hard work and innovation. When the family moved to Victoria, British Columbia, Lowell started right to work. He sold newspapers on the streets of downtown Victoria. “I always had a job from that time on.” In his teens, he was a boy scout and even served as the only employee, which included being the cook, on a salmon fishing boat one summer. “At least ten lines to the right and left.” He was a Boy Scout, rode an Indian motorcycle and generally had a smile on his face. He married and became a father in 1956.
To provide for his family he promptly built his first house, from scratch, without a blueprint. After working his shift at the lumber mill, “I would look at the new homes being built around our homesite and copy what the carpenters did that day.” Working nights and weekends, his three-bedroom house was completed and still stands today. Lowell moved his family to the Pacific Northwest in the early ‘60s working for Air Canada. Those years gave him fond memories of friends and co-workers. He built a few homes and renovated many during those years. He was a valued employee for several different companies after leaving Air Canada. Airplanes remained a lifelong interest. He built an extensive collection of model airplanes from his trips, more than 30 consecutive years, to the Reno Air Races. Starting with a 1935 automobile, he owned hundreds more during his lifetime. He could remember them all, what color they were, how long he owned them and the gas mileage. He was always up for a long road trip, even after they became impractical.
Throughout his life, he was a deeply religious man. He was a pastor and lay minister for more than 40 years. “I had many marriages and many funerals. The funerals were always more permanent.” Lowell’s kindness, love and generosity were shared with everyone he met.
His final ten years were spent in Silver City, NM as a companion to Valdeen Wooton. Besides Valdeen, he leaves his children, Debbie, Michael and Megan. A celebration of Lowell’s life will be held at the Bayard Baptist Church, 601 Dayhill Street, Bayard, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, September 17.
Cremation will take place at Terrazas Crematory. Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels and Crematory “Trust care for the ones you love” ~ 575-537-0777. To send condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapel.com .