Obituary of Theodore J. Lowy

Theodore J. Lowy, 94, of Mountainside, N.J., formerly of South Orange, N.J., died Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in the Center for Hope Hospice, Scotch Plains, N.J. The family will be receiving friends at the Preston Funeral Home, 153 South Orange Ave., South Orange, N.J., on Sunday, Jan. 27, from 1 to 2 p.m. A service will be held at 2 p.m. For more information or to send condolences, please visit prestonfuneralhome.net. Born in New York, N.Y., Theodore lived in South Orange, N.J., before moving to Mountainside, N.J., 30 years ago. A jeweler, Mr. Lowy owned the Ted Lowy Jewelry Store in South Orange and operated it from 1960 to 1985, when he retired. He graduated from Rutgers University, Newark, N.J., with a B.A. degree. Mr. Lowy served as a sergeant in the U. S. Army Air Force from 1943 to 1945 during World War II. In 1986, he was the founder and president of The South Orange Chamber of Commerce and later he was named "Man of the Year." He was a South Orange Village trustee from 1977 to 1985, chairman of the legal, health, welfare and personnel committees, chairman of the South Orange Welfare Board and public safety liaison in 1983. Mr. Lowy also played a key role in forming the South Orange Parking Authority. He was an airline transport pilot. He became a licensed captain with the U.S. Coast Guard in 1991 and in 1994 a Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla commander. He was a Coast Guard commercial fishing vessel examiner from 1993 to 1999. He invented the "Lowy Hook," a tool used worldwide by firefighters. He was a very active volunteer for the U.S. Coast Guard and Township of South Orange Village. He was the beloved husband of Carol Hertweck; loving father of Jed Lowy and Laura Thompson; loving grandfather of Kate Bailey Lowy and dear brother of the late Sigmund Rothschild. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Columbia High School Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 315, Maplewood, N.J. 07040 would be appreciated.