Memorial Walk
Memorial Walk was created to remember and honor individuals who have been important in the history of our organization — and the lives of our founders, Ed and Darlene Lowe. This includes not only family members and foundation employees but also past employees from the many businesses that Ed Lowe operated including Lowe's Sawdust Company, Lowe's Inc., Big Rock Valley Farm and Edward Lowe Industries Inc. (ELI). Markers include trees and bronze markers. As time passes, we will be including more of the area surrounding Penn Church to remember the individuals who are near and dear to the foundation and the history of Ed and Darlene.
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1920 - 1995
1915 – 1988 1913 – 2000
Two years later he purchased his father’s business and devoted himself to building a national market for Kitty Litter, a simple product that sparked an entirely new industry. By the time he sold the clay division of Edward Lowe Industries (ELI) in 1990, the company had grown to about 600 employees and $165 million in annual sales.
Lowe also had a talent for finding valuable property. Among the 11,238 acres he purchased was Big Rock Valley (BRV), which today serves as headquarters for the foundation. Comprised of approximately 2,000 acres of woodland, farmland, prairie and wetland, BRV not only provides a campus for many of the foundation’s activities but also as an outdoor learning laboratory for researchers.
In addition to his business prowess, Lowe was also known for his efforts to encourage entrepreneurship. Among these is the launch of the Edward Lowe Foundation in 1985, which provides recognition, research and educational activities to support entrepreneurs, with a focus on second-stage companies.
Anne worked for the city, retiring as deputy clerkfor the city of Three Rivers. She was also a Girl Scout leader for over 20 years and an active leader in their church. Upon their retirement, Ray and Anne moved to Venice, Fla. During their many visits to Big Rock Valley, Ray and Anne observed the tremendous evolution of the property and the Edward Lowe Foundation and expressed pride in Darlene’s role in its creation.
Over the years, Follett held a variety of positions, including general manager of plants and corporate secretary. He was the first member of the Lowe’s Inc. board of directors and remained on the board until he retired in 1990.
Waneta was beautiful, intelligent, talented, gracious and always treated everyone she came in contact with the utmost respect, kindness and caring. She and Bob shared over 63 years together before his passing in 2008. Darlene Lowe recalled, "Bob and Waneta were close to Ed throughout every stage of development and evolution of his many businesses, and Ed and I were blessed to have had their support and friendship."
The dad blame days just up and went.
It’s not far back — why just a few —
That he hauled that clay and the sawdust flew.
He built some plants and sacked some litter,
He took care of books and was a babysitter,
He drove like mad to Tennessee
To make sure the shipments out the door would be.
He’s been the guy who’s always there
A little pudgy and with a little less hair.
So let’s give a cheer to our friend, Bob
For to guys like him our hearts do throb.
In the early 1980s McCauslin advanced to become treasurer and head of administrative services at Lowe’s, and in 1989 he was named senior vice president and assistant to the CEO. He was also a member of the company’s advisory board and its board of control. Throughout the years McCauslin worked closely with Bob Follett and did a lot of troubleshooting for Ed.
Father to four sons, McCauslin loved spending time with his family. He was an avid fisherman and hunter and rarely missed the annual Deer Hunter’s Breakfast held at Big Rock Valley Farms on opening day each November. He is also remembered for his fun-loving nature and spearheading a number of special events, including the early Pickle Barrel Open golf tournaments.
Having access to a skilled geologist — especially one who possessed expertise in clay — was critical to Ed’s success. In order to keep up with product demand and remain the leader in the cat box filler industry, Ed needed Rand to find mineral reserves and determine the quantity and quality of clay that could be mined from the reserves. For example, would the clay be light enough in color to use for Kitty Litter — or would it be better suited for industrial absorbent products? Whenever it came to purchasing or expanding property, Ed relied on Rand’s advice for setting up and managing mining operations.
Haring joined the Edward Lowe Foundation Board of Trustees in January 1997. She resigned from the board in March 1999, but continued as a foundation member until 2000.
Haring was known for her pragmatic nature and strong organizational and communications skills. Among her contributions, Haring was instrumental in overseeing a $250,000 grant to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, which the foundation gave to support exhibits on commerce and manufacturing. These exhibits, which remained installed for more than 10 years, introduced the principles of commerce and manufacturing.
Wilson earned his nickname partly because of his height, but also because his son, John, worked at Big Rock Valley. An outdoor enthusiast, Wilson loved to hunt deer and raccoon. When he retired, his colleagues chipped in and bought him a Remington 22-caliber rifle as a parting gift.
After the project was completed, Henson remained at Big Rock Valley Farms, assisting with the transformation of a large barn into the Barn House, one of two houses at BRV that Ed and Darlene Lowe lived in. (Today the Barn House is used as a guest house.) He also helped convert another barn into an office for Ed and his staff (now known as the Heritage Center).
Joe was one of three employees in BRV’s physical resources department and worked on both grounds maintenance and carpentry projects, including installing railroad ties at the Haymarket Antiques & Designs barn, headquarters for Darlene Lowe’s interior design business and retail store. Henson was known as a “gentle giant” because of his easygoing nature and considerable stature. Darlene always joked that whenever Joe hung a mirror on his own, he placed it so high that people of average height couldn’t see themselves.
Multitalented both on and off the job, Keenan was a driving force on the Ed Lowe Day Committee and made decorations for numerous company events. She was devoted to her community and served as a reading mentor for several years at the Sam Adams Middle School in Cassopolis. Her creative talents manifested themselves in a variety of ways, from making jewelry to helping a co-worker with her daughter’s wedding. Colleagues say that whenever she got involved in a project, Keenan gave it 110 percent of her energies.
During his tenure, Pollock developed a cutting-edge wellness program and introduced benefits that included educational assistance and career development, as well as strengthening the company’s infrastructure by developing and documenting operational processes and procedures. He played a key role in improving the work safety of all Lowe’s employees and created a mine safety and health administration handbook, which was upheld as a national model. The standards he set created a legacy that remains the hallmark for human relations at the Edward Lowe Foundation.
Wally was well-known and respected throughout the Lowe’s organization and the South Bend community. His wife, Debbie, was also known for her warm, outgoing nature. “Whenever we attended family functions for the organization, Debbie would always go out of her way to visit with new employees and their spouses and make them feel welcome,” remembers Mike McCuistion, divisional vice president of physical resources at the Edward Lowe Foundation.
When Debbie died from a sudden asthma attack in 1988, the entire Lowe’s organization felt the sadness along with Wally and their three children, Danny, Jessica and Lisa. Wally later married Kathy Jo (Finch) Pollock. Ed Lowe sold the clay absorbent portion of Edward Lowe Industries in 1990, and five years later the Golden Cat Corporation was sold and the South Bend office closed. Although Wally moved on to other HR positions, he often expressed to friends and co-workers he considered the years spent working at Lowe's the "best of times."
The Dykstras consulted on a wide variety of Lowe's Inc. projects from 1972 to 1980, which reflected Ed Lowe's diverse interests. Among these were:
- Big Rock Valley’s use as a mammalian research and display center.
- Advertising for Jones Is Back, a tourist attraction that recreated a small town from the early 1900s.
- Packaging for Frenchy Bucksaw prepackaged firewood.
- Design of a “tray box” for Tidy Cat.
- Market testing for a seasoned flour, an experimental product developed in partnership with Kentucky Kernel Seeds and Flour Co.
In addition, Dykstras introduced Ed in advertisements to help consumers become more familiar with the founder of Lowe’s Inc. (These included moving images as well as still photographs.)
During his career, Bill developed multiple companies and was a highly regarded business consultant and strategist, and he received many awards and recognition. One he was most proud of was his Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Indiana University in 1983.
Faith and family—five children and an ever-increasing number of grandchildren—were primary in Debbie’s life. Her innate joy in caring about and for others was a perfect fit for her vocation as a nurse, working at the St. Mary’s College infirmary. A skilled and talented homemaker, as well, the lunches she packed for Don earned her a reputation at the office as a great cook.
Her warm and friendly personality and optimistic outlook were an inspiration to others, even as she fought a valiant five-year battle with cancer that eventually took her life. Indeed, Debbie Bauters’ generosity was evidenced when a year after her death, Don related his contribution to Toys for Tots had come from a closet Debbie had kept well-stocked with new toys intended to be given upon occasion to visiting grandchildren
Initially a contract laborer, Hutson eventually was hired full time. He saw some of his woodworking projects through from start to finish, using Big Rock Valley’s trees felled, cured and milled at the sawmill on site. Hutson was a key participant in the conversion of an old barn into a residence Ed and Darlene called the Barn House. He also supervised the initial renovation of most of the guesthouses and facilities at the foundation, including changing wooden boxcars into lodging for overnight retreat guests.
“I learned a lot about construction watching Doug,” recalls Jay Suseland, grounds maintenance manager. “He was easy to get along with and well liked by almost everyone,” describing Hutson as “fun-loving” and “the life of the party.”
In the early 90s, Hutson worked during the winter months at the Lowe’s E&D Ranch property in Arcadia, Florida. He and his wife, Linda, also a long-time Lowe’s employee, eventually relocated to Florida and became year-round residents, making their home in Zolfo Springs.
In closing, a poem from our founder Ed Lowe:
“Present”
We’re here, you see
Not just to be
A plant not rooted,
A rootless tree.
Engrave the present,
Relate to the past,
Tomorrow, though fog bound,
Will arrive at last.
Firm the footing
Inlaced with steel
For those tomorrow
Its wisdom feel.
So past and present
Have gone at best
Forever tomorrow
Will be laid to rest.