Person:Clarence Lowe (2)

Following information is from an interview with Irene Bray on 3/25/94.

According to a note in file written by MEL Clarence was born near Estevan, Saskatchewan. Probably nearest town of any size to Loweton.

Irene remembered once in about 1918 or 1919 she and CWL were sent to town by AML to get some things. THey took the horse and buggy and were warned not to run the horse but he did as soon as he was out of sight. When they returned Irene tattled on him and AML took a horsewhip to him.

A major form of entertainment was singing and he was an excellent yodeler. He stayed by himself and loved to read. He stayed with Jess for a while and always wore a had cocked to one side. Had no girlfriends that she knew of.

in file is a worksheet he had done in 1935 showing his various jobs from 1921 till then. He worked variously spliitingwood, firing a steam donkey, as signal man, driving a team, harvest hand, farm hand, warehouseman, resaw man, fish dealer, teamster, hauling wood, Civilian Conservation Corps junior foreman, odd jobs, carpenter's helper, senior foreman.

At some time during his work as a resaw man he lost about half of one of his fingers and the tip of another one.

Between 1928 and 1930 he and Jesse sold kippered salmon out of the back of a pickup truck.

He worked with Emil Green as a fish dealer in Centralia on Tower Avenue and also worked for a time picking ferns with Earl Jackson. See Earl Jackson entry.

He lived with Elmer and Stella for a long time on their farm in Tenino. Then he went to live with Jesse and Percy at their place.

Enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps 1/4/1935. Description age 24; Occupation - Bucker: Grey eyes; Brown hair; Medium complexion; 5'3 1/2". He worked clearing and burning brush at Camp Ostrich Bay, Bremerton, WA till 6/27/35 then as a carpenter's helper at Camp Goldendale in Goldendale, WA till 8/21/35 and from 8/22/35 through 9/30/37 as a carpenter. He was given an Honorabe Discharge on 9/30/37. He then went to work for the USDA Soil Conservation Service at $70 per month as a "camp assistant" on 10/1/37 and worked in that position until 6/30/38. A letter from V.F.Larse, camp superintendent dated 6/11/38 states in part "he worked as a leader in charge of field crews" then as "a Camp Assistant in this camp(Goldendale) in charge of field crews doing various types of conservation work. Mr Lowe is a very competent man and I regret losing him. The work accomplished under his direction has been very good and I have found him to be an exceptional good crew foreman."

Address April 10, 1941 3640 So Cushman Avenue, Tacoma, WA

Heapparently worked as a Foreman of Dock Seamen in the Air Transport Service at the Seattle Port of Embarkation for some time and resigned the position in good standing as per a letter dated 5/26/42.

He worked for a time in the Naval Shipyards in Seattle and lived in that city. His letters to MEL mention this and that he enjoyed boating on Puget Sound.

On June 29, 1943 he was sent an induction notice from the US Army/Navy. He was not able to serve as he was partially blind in one eye. He said that as a young baby he had been crying in his crib and his Sister Tressie had swatted him with her Sunday School papers which injured his eye.

When MEL came to the west coast to marry him he and Bob Lowe took Bob's red 1942 Chevy to Vancouver, BC to pick her up. After he married he did tractor work for Rody and Sons at Waller Road.

In 1951/52 he worked in Adak, Alaska at Mitchell Field where he built quonset huts.

He suffered a heart attack on or before 11/16/52 while he was putting up beams at the construction of part of a store on the corner of 64th and Waller Road. He lived for about 7 years after the h.a. but was never able to return to work again. An autopsy was taken after his death and 7 scars were found on his heart. I believe it was only 3 of them that were from attacks he reported.