Leonard Dean Lowen, together with his twin sister Ruth, was born to Cornelius R. (Dick) and Alice Loewen on September 29, 1944, in Turlock, California. He was the first of ten children. He passed away on July 23,2026.

Leonard’s early boyhood was spent near Winton, California. They moved to a dairy farm in Glenn, California in 1951. When he was still a young lad, they had an accident with the jeep on the farm. He was thrown out and run over. There was an impression in the dirt where his head was smashed into the ground.

He attended elementary school in Bayliss, California and high school in Willows, California. Leonard gave his heart to the Lord as a young man and was baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite.

Leonard married Ruth Eck on May 2, 1965. Jenny, Janese, and Leonard, Jr. joined them during the early years together in Bayliss, California. In the beginning, Leonard hauled hay and cut firewood for a living. He soon joined his brother-in-law, Robert, in a farming partnership, which ended when Idaho called.

We moved to Wendell, Idaho in December of 1968. Dad had hoped that a congregation would form there, but when other Mennonite settlers came, they chose the south side of the river. Dad decided to join them and moved to a dairy farm south of Buhl. Mom liked it that she could hear his truck when he turned the corner by Joe’s Blacksmith Shop three miles away in Buhl and put his foot in it. She knew it was time to get supper ready for him. Dad loved the little farm and dairy. He especially enjoyed the challenge of taking a farm that had been neglected and making it produce the best hay around. Marian and Richard joined the family while we lived on the little dairy farm.

When the dairy farm sold, we had to move on. Alice joined the family while we lived in the old Peterson house across the road from Uncle Donald’s. Dad found a new opportunity to become a cattleman, when he rented the John Barker place, and he took up cowboy life. He loved his horses, Prince and Nick, and took great pleasure in their abilities. He loved working his own cattle and riding the rangeland for hire as a cowboy in the region around Wells and Jackpot, Nevada. Royce made his grand entrance into this world when we lived, “up on the desert," where Dad was known as “Big Bearded Buffalo” on the CB in the potato fields, using his beloved Oliver to pull a digger for Bud Mason, while “Lady Buffalo” (Mom) drove his truck in the haul. We soon moved to the forty-acre farm on Melon Valley Road, but Bruneau, Idaho was calling and Dad heard the call loud and clear. James and Marrea joined us while we lived in Bruneau Valley. The little congregation in Bruneau became our family, and it was hard to leave three years later as we packed up to move back to California. Dad bought a log truck and began to haul logs in the Sierra Nevada and to farm in the great Sacramento Valley of California. Peter joined the family while we lived by Stony Creek near Hamilton City.

After a few years by Stony Creek, Dad moved on, and we lost track of where he was and what he was doing with his life. Our lives separated from his for many years. He lived near Codora, California for a few years where he developed a large farm. He worked at heavy-haul trucking and running heavy equipment for a local contractor. He moved to Albion, California, where he became a local legend developing vineyards. He moved to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, where he found an old friend. Later, he moved to Othello, Washington, where some of his lifelong friends lived. He spent time, in season, on the North Slope of Alaska, working as a heavy equipment operator. When his natural strength began to fade, his job there became too difficult, and he moved back to California, settling on a little piece of land which had belonged to his father and now belonged to his son. He lived there until he died, with local friends, neighbors, and relatives caring for him in his old age.

Leonard was a man of action and adventure! He taught us by example to enjoy hard work. He loved babies, people, animals, engines, turbos, good exhaust systems, tractors, trucks, motorcycles, cars, pickups, earthmoving equipment, ships, and good singing. Leonard excelled at eye-hand coordination and took great pleasure in accuracy in everything he did, including archery, guns, hunting, throwing, driving trucks, and moving dirt. He loved singing and had a special talent for bringing songs to life. Leonard had a natural charisma about him that won him many friends in life. Humor went with him everywhere, and he always found something to laugh about, many times exaggerating his own feelings and struggles and laughing at himself.

Survivors include his first wife, Ruth; his sons and daughters and their spouses; thirty-five grandchildren; thirty-two great grandchildren; five brothers; two sisters; one brother-in-law; and five sisters-in-law.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother; one sister; one brother-in-law; and one grandchild.

Arrangements are held under the direction of Sweet-Olsen Family Mortuary.