Lowell Eisenmann

Lowell Ira Eisenmann, 90, Blissfield, transitioned to his Heavenly home on Monday, March 9, 2015. He was the son of Ira and Margaret (Luse) Eisenmann, born June 17, 1924 in Riga, Michigan.  After graduating from Blissfield High in 1942, he worked on the Daniels brothers’ farm, Gerity in Adrian and the Packard Motor Plant in Toledo before being called up by the Army.  Lowell, as part of the infantry, was on his way to the Philippines, when he got “stuck” in Hawaii until his discharge in November 1946. As part of the US Army of the Pacific, achieving T4 status, he was awarded a Meritorious Service Badge.
When he returned home, Lowell married his high school sweetheart, Eileen J. Hazard, on December 11, 1946. Together they began their life legacy. Lowell again began farming, this time with his father-in-law Earl Hazard, working closely with the County Extension Agency learning the best farming skills. He began with dairy and cash crops, switching to beef cattle building the first slotted floor barn in the area, feeding 500 cattle in that barn with an additional 300 in the original barn. Lowell was quick to try new cash crops: sugar beets, tomatoes and carrots besides the typical crops. In his early farming years, he worked at Tecumseh Products, and later sold seed corn and Knapp shoes. He continued farming with two of his sons Keith and Zell until his retirement.
Even as a busy farmer, Lowell delighted in serving his church and community. He was a member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church where he served as usher, trustee, youth leader with Eileen, Sunday School and Wednesday night teacher, S.S. Superintendent and member of the active KUMJOYNUS class. He was an avid member of the church bowling league and softball league for many years. During the mid-fifties, Lowell served on the Bradley school board. He was president of the PTA and was one of the original Citizens Committee members when the one-room country school houses were consolidated and talks began of a new high school. He was elected to the newly consolidated school board district in 1962. He also served on the Lenawee Co-op board, County and State Farm Bureau Board as district director, Jipson Carter State Bank Board, Red Cross Board, appointment by Governor Milliken to the State Beef Commission, and as his final service to his community, was elected to the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners, serving 6 years as the Chairman.
Through all his service to church and community, family remained a priority to Lowell. He and Eileen together lovingly raised their children instilling strong Christian beliefs and hard work ethics, incorporated with love, and laughter. In the summer, Lowell was frequently found giving a “ski” or teaching anyone who wanted to learn; preparing a “corn roast” to whoever would eat it; and following it with a pontoon ride. Winter time he might have been found ice skating on the ditches with the family or sledding at the “filtration plant.”  Family camping vacations were a must, taking  the family to many sites in the US or renting a local cottage until the growing family needed a cottage of their own.
Lowell is survived and will be missed by his  6 children: Wonet (Richard Ryan),  Keith (Barb), Dawn (Sam Rupp), Rose (Adrian Ninaber),  Zell (Rita), and Noel (Dori); 19 grandchildren, and 20 plus great-grandchildren. Also surviving, sister Florence Mary (Elmer) Anderson of Milan, sister-in -law Eula Eisenmann, sister-in law Lorna Hazard and numerous Eisenmann and Luse cousins, nieces and nephews. 
He was preceded in death by his loving wife Eileen of nearly 68 years on July 16, 2014, his parents, brothers, Virgil and Oscar Eisenmann, sister, Fern Kruse, In-laws, Daryl and Florence Faust, Lavern Hazard,  and James and Imogene Fischer.
Celebration of Lowell’s life was Sunday, March 22, 2015 at Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Blissfield with family greeting guests at 2 p.m. and Celebration Service at 4 p.m., followed by supper in the church fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hospice of Lenawee or Emmanuel United Methodist Church. As his final gift, Lowell has donated his body to University of Toledo Medical Center.