Peter Ernest Loewenstein

Peter Ernest Loewenstein died on Saturday, September 28 at home in Millsboro. He was 83 years old. His wife and two of his sisters were with him. Pete once wondered if his parents, Fritz and Virginia Loewenstein, were aliens-their kindness, generosity and love were so extraordinary and boundless, along with their insatiable curiosity about the world and how their children viewed the world. It's clear that Peter inherited those virtues. He was the first born of the Loewenstein children. Next came Mary, who became a teacher and is a gifted artist. Then Suzanne, who had a career in the newspaper industry. Joan, the youngest, was an award-winning teacher. Minh Nguyen joined the family in the 70's, after coming to America from his native Vietnam.

Peter graduated from Salesianum High School in Wilmington and the University of Delaware. He served in the Army and after his service became a surveyor-one of his favorite projects was Interstate 95 across Delaware.

The love of Peter's life was his wife Joan, and they were married for 59 years. They "got serious" after Peter's sisters set them up. It was election night and they asked him to drive Joan to the polling place because she didn't have access to a car. They claimed they were tired and ready for bed, and to "prove" that, they had towels on their heads and were wearing bathrobes. Pete and Joan were wonderful loving partners, and to eliminate confusion about the two Joans in the family, Peter's wife was affectionately re-named Joan Mc-her maiden name was McDowell.

One day on his way to work, Peter got a flat tire and, as he recalled, nobody on the highway near Wilmington stopped to help him. He went home later and told Joan he didn't want to live in a place where nobody wanted to help people. So, they moved to Roxana, in Sussex County, where their network of close friends blossomed and sustained them through some very difficult days. Peter started a successful surveying business, which he sold a couple of years after their son Edward died in a tragic car accident in 1992. Their daughter Freda died in 2013.

As a hobby, Peter started woodworking several years ago, and he created stunning tables and serving boards. Even as his Parkinson's symptoms progressed, he never stopped his woodworking, nor did he stop thinking about the world. He wanted to further research into Parkinson's and directed that his brain be donated to Harvard, where researchers are studying the disease and possible cures. Even in death, he remained dedicated to helping others.

He was engaged with his family and his community and never lost his sly, subtle humor. Peter loved people and animals, and throughout his life, he was never far from his precious dogs and cats. His survivors include his wife, sisters Mary and her husband Les, Suzanne and her husband Guy, Joan and her husband Chris, his brother Minh and his wife Kim, as well as a grandson, nieces and nephews, and several grand-nieces and grand-nephews. He is also survived by his sweet dog, Libby and cats Hans and Fritz.

Visitation will be at 11 a.m. and a Celebration of Life Ceremony at Noon on Saturday, October 25 at Long Neck Methodist Church, 32051 Long Neck Road, Millsboro, followed by a reception at Amvets Post 2, 32592 Long Neck Road in Millsboro. The staff at AccentCare Hospice in Milford were true partners with Joan as she cared for Peter. In lieu of flowers, contributions to AccentCare, 416 Williams St., Suite 33, Milford DE 19963 would be appreciated.

As Peter's beloved Bruce Springsteen said, "We honor our parents by carrying their best forward and laying the rest down." And that he did.