James Lowder

James T. “Peter” Lowder, born May 11, 1940 in New Bern, N. C. He passed away peacefully at home on Monday, January 12, 2015. He was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Lowder, his mother, Margaret Lowder Motz, and his step father, Andrew Motz. His daughter Margaret Kauffman and his brother William Lowder also preceded him. He is survived by his loving wife of fifty-one years, Ann, as well as daughters Sarah Lowder of Rome, Italy and Lisa Darke (John) as well as son-in-law, Andrew Kauffman and five grandchildren Hannah, Peter, and Parker Barends and Tessa and Ella Darke, all of Columbus.

Peter grew up in Fayetteville, NC where he discovered a passion for scientific research as well as for the woods and streams and gardens. He received his BS in Nuclear Engineering as well as his MS in Metallurgical Engineering from North Carolina State University. While there, he pledged Sigma Chi and was named to the honorary societies of Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Sigma Mu. After graduate school, he and Ann left their beloved North Carolina for his dream job as a nuclear engineer for Battelle. Later at General Electric, he developed a process for bonding diamonds. He and three partners soon formed Abrasive Technology. As President, he grew the company into a world leader in the cutting tool industry. During his career he invented several important new manufacturing processes and products, and his developments resulted in the awarding of numerous US Patents.

His keen intelligence, coupled with an insatiable curiosity and creativity, led him down many fascinating paths. He became interested in collecting American Antiques and founded the Ohio Antique Review, a monthly publication focusing on the market for antiques. Its subscribers were in all fifty states and seven foreign countries. He restored several historic homes in New Bern and Pinehurst, NC, and Worthington, OH. For the past few years, he managed the Granville Antique Fair, benefiting the Robbins Hunter Museum and had recently signed on as a docent, delighting in engaging visitors with his knowledge of antiques and architecture.

For many years, he served as the United States representative to International Standards Organization for dentistry. This provided an opportunity for travel around the world, which he did with gusto: Buenos Aires, Milan, Trieste, Kyoto, Beijing, Chiang Mai, Paris, Pforzheim, and Ottawa, to name a few.

He relaxed with a fishing rod in his hands whether at the coast of North Carolina, the Snake River, or his beloved Little Sturgeon Trout Club in Indian River, MI. And as much as he loved to fish, he relished teaching many a boy (and little girls too) the joy of fishing.

A generous Southern Gentleman, he nourished his family and many friends with love and humor. He delighted in flying his own plane, dining and dancing with friends at Midwinter and, later, Gay Sixties, attending concerts of the Columbus Symphony as well as Opera Columbus. But he would say his best hours were spent with the grandchildren.

After retiring from Abrasive Technology, he became active with his church as a lay reader. He found great joy in feeding the homeless and other missions of the church. As recently as Thanksgiving 2014, he chaired the first ever Bexley Turkey Trot sponsored by St. Alban’s, raising money for the Mid-Ohio Food bank.

He was a proud member of the Little Sturgeon Trout Club, Conestoga of the Ohio History Connection, Columbus Museum of Art, Franklin Park Conservatory, Robbins Hunter Museum, and St. Alban’s Episcopal Church.

Friends may, if they wish, make donations in his memory to St. Alban’s Mission Trips (333 S. Drexel Ave., 43209), Robbins Hunter Museum (PO Box 183, Granville, OH 43023), or Ohio History Connection (800 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, OH 43211)

Friends may call 4-7pm Friday, January 16 at Schoedinger Midtown Chapel, 229 E. State St. A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm, Saturday January 17 at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 333 S. Drexel Ave., Bexley, OH 43209.