Lowell Austin Tainter August 27, 1924-March 22, 2016 After 91 full years of professional accomplishments, fraternal work, and devotion to family, Lowell Austin Tainter passed away on March 22, 2016 in Dousman, WI. He capped a forty-year career at Wisconsin Electric with a retirement full of Masonic and Kiwanis activities. Throughout, he was an anchor for his immediate and extended family. A 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason of the Milwaukee Valley, Lowell traveled to Supreme Council gatherings with his beloved wife, Pat, and their friends. A member of Ozaukee Lodge #17 for over 50 years and a Past Master of the lodge, he was also a Past Worthy Patron of Ozaukee Chapter #147, Order of the Eastern Star. He was always rolling up his sleeves to work the Lodge fish fry stand and help Job's Daughter's Bethel 60 build floats for Fish Day, or assisting his son, David, with the Grand Lodge's soccer tournament, as well as undertaking remodeling and repairs on the Masonic Temple in Port Washington. Lowell was born on August 27, 1924 at home in Viroqua, WI, the youngest child of Nellie Opal Chitwood and Lewis Andrew Tainter. Nicknamed Bud as a child, he grew up in Richland Center, WI. He spent summers working for his sister Helen and her husband as they moved their carnival rides around the state to various county fairs. He graduated from Richland Center High School in June, 1942. After a Madison Vocational School training program in sheet metal work, he hitchhiked to Wilmington, Delaware where he built ships for the U.S. Navy. He joined the Navy's V12 officer training program at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend. He was injured doing abandon-ship drills (jumping off a platform 70 feet in the air into the water) and was sent to the hospital at the Great Lakes Naval. World War II ended while he was at Great Lakes, and he was discharged from the Navy on his 21st birthday, August 27, 1945. He went home to Richland Center where he helped his father build a house, and then used the GI Bill to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He graduated with a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering in 1948. He was hired by Wisconsin Electric Company and retired as General Superintendent of the Port Washington Power Plant in 1988. Along the way, he also earned a Master's Degree in engineering, as well as a Professional Engineer license. On a visit to Madison on Memorial Day weekend in 1949, he met Patricia Grothaus, and they were married on March 12, 1950. Their marriage of love and mutual respect endured until her death on March 11, 2015. The newlyweds took up residence in Port Washington and joined the First Congregational Church and entered into civic life. Lowell was active in Jaycees, Kiwanis, and Lakeland Jolly Campers, and served on the Vocational School and the Red Cross boards. They built a house on West Walters St. that was eventually home to seven children, and hosted many more friends, and later grandchildren and great grandchildren until Pat and Lowell moved to the Three Pillars Senior Community in Dousman in 2008. A recounting of his professional accomplishments and civic contributions fails to capture the warmth, teasing humor, and charm of the man that made him a favorite of a wide circle of friends, and small children in particular. He was known for his skill as a sheepshead player, and his collections of logo golf balls and dragons. He enjoyed his Norwegian heritage. He was also a handyman and woodworker who got great satisfaction from helping remodel his children's homes. He built toy chests, jewelry boxes, and others custom orders. He loved to fish and delighted in introducing younger generations to the joys of spending time on lake in a boat. He and Patsy also loved camping, especially when they could gather the kids and grandkids together for multi-family outing. Those who went before him include his wife, Patricia; his mother-in-law, Helen Grothaus; his parents, Nellie and Lewis; his brothers, Russell, Harland, and James; his sister, Helen Teach; and his son, Bruce. Left to savor many wonderful memories are his children: Suzanne Tainter (Kenneth Boyer), Ann Arbor, MI; Pamela Tainter-Engebretson (John Engebretson), Plymouth, WI; Timothy Tainter (April), Shawano, WI; Kristine Stankus (Donald) Worden, IL; Johnathan Tainter (Deborah), Island Lake, IL; and David Tainter, Port Washington, WI; grandchildren: Christopher Lundin (Shelley), Arielle Brath (Shane), Eric Tainter (Amanda Workman), Amber Marshall (Ryan), Abrina Tainter, Tanya Tainter, Elizabeth Boyer, Margaret Boyer, Brittany Tainter, and Mark Austin Boyer; great-grandchildren: Emma and Joshua Brath. Several nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews also remember Uncle Bud. A Funeral Service for Lowell will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2016 at the Ozaukee County Port Washington Masonic Center at 3:00 PM with Jeff Suddendorf officiating. Visitation will be held at the Center from 1:00 PM until the time of the service. Interment will take place at Union Cemetery in Port Washington. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Red Cross.