Andrew Lowinger

1921 - 2017

Andrew (Andy) Lowinger, 96, of Denver passed away on December 19, 2017, beloved husband of the late Irene Lowinger, father of Michael (Cynthia (Ceci)) of Denver and Steve (Dave Dean) of San Francisco, grandfather of Hannah (Ari) Goldberg, Eve (Aaron Meyerhoff) Lowinger, Joel Lowinger and Sam Lowinger, and great grandfather of Noa Tziporah and Ora Leah Goldberg. Funeral services were officiated by Rabbi Bruce Dollin and Cantor Martin Goldstein on December 21st at the Hebrew Educational Alliance followed by internment at Mt. Nebo Cemetery. Andy was born on April 17, 1921 in the Transylvania region of Romania and the family was ethnic Hungarian, living a strong Jewish life in the community. In 1940 when he was 19 the region was annexed by Hungary and restrictions on Jews were put in place. Andy was forced into slave labor under the direction of the Hungarian army, and sent to the Ukraine. In 1944 the Jews of the region were deported to various concentration camps, including his brother and sister who currently live in Los Angeles, and his wife Irene who he hadn't yet met. In 1945 Andy was liberated from Mauthausen Concentration Camp; he didn't initially know who in his family had survived. His parents and most of his aunts, uncles and many cousins had perished. He reunited with his brother and sister and her husband, in Romania. As Romania was falling under Soviet block in 1946, Andy escaped through Hungary into Austria and then to Munich Germany, because the country was rebuilding and throughout all of Western Europe there were the best economic opportunities there. He established a business selling nylon stockings, and worked there from 1946 through 1951. There was an open immigration policy initiated by President Truman and at age 30 he sailed on an American Naval ship, the USS General M.L. Hersey to Ellis Island New York. Sponsored by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, he was sent to Cincinnati, Ohio and from there he moved to New York City, established a business selling second hand clothing in Bay Shore Long Island, and in 1953 through a mutual friend was introduced to Irene Zauberer who worked at a kiosk selling candy in Grand Central Station. They were married three months later. In 1956 the family moved to Los Angeles, where Andy established Lincoln Gasoline and Tires, a successful chain of service stations and tire stores. He ran the business until 2003, a year following the death of his wife Irene, when he moved to Denver to be with family. From that time until his death, Andy was a member of the Hebrew Educational Alliance synagogue, and for many years enjoyed swimming and participating at the Robert E Loup Jewish Community Center. Andy lived a dramatic and remarkable life and his legacy lives on with his beloved family: his children and their spouses, grandchildren and their spouses, and great grandchildren.