Donald Lowe
July 4, 2025
July 4, 2025
July 4, 2025
Donald Harold Lowe
Don Lowe, 74, was destined for adventure from his very first breath in Fort Churchill, MB in September 1950 until his last in Hope, BC in July 2025.
Don (aka “Willie”) couldn’t wait to be “On the Road Again” in search of that next great adventure. From Churchill to Winnipeg, from Inuktitut to Israel, Sointula Island, BC to St. John’s, NL, life in all its fullness beckoned and Don leapt at every opportunity.
Don was forever curious about the who, what, where, why and how of EVERYthing from mechanics to plumbing, carpentry to camera gear, computers to technology. He worked building furniture, driving concrete trucks, doing photography for the Winnipeg Real Estate Board in partnership with his brother Rob, together they built and flew ultralight planes and got their pilot’s license. Eventually Don landed work in the film industry with MidCan Production Services, later branching out on his own as an independent Métis filmmaker.
In Don’s constant pursuit to build a better mouse trap, rules and boundaries were pushed, deadlines and budgets were moving targets. Life with Don meant there was never a dull moment. He demanded perfection of himself, respected it in others and encouraged family, friends and colleagues to live into their best selves. As one colleague said, “Don made us both better at our craft.”
Don was predeceased by his beloved mother, Hazel (Kenney), father Wilfred (Bill) Lowe, his first wife, Karen (Wood) Lowe.
Along with his Mom, Dad and brother, Rob, Don was blessed, over the years, with three other families: Karen(Wood), mother to their son, Canaan. From 1976 to 1994, to his second partner, Doris of the Link family, Don was a proud step-father to Tracy and “Poppa Don” to granddaughter, Jett. They were grateful to be part of his life, remaining family to the end. “Forever in our hearts.”
In 2010, at a Social Justice Conference Don met, and soon after married, Juanita MacKinnon. Kindred spirits in their love of adventure, they upgraded his 1973 Boler and, in 2013, they trekked across Canada from BC to NS visiting family and friends along the way and experiencing the culture of various Indigenous peoples in every province.
A life of leisure in retirement held no appeal to Don so, in order to keep his mind sharp and his hands busy, he used skills developed over a lifetime, to convert a decommissioned school bus into an RV (Skoolie). While waiting to hit the road to feel the wind in their hair and watch the white lines on the highway tick by, Don was diagnosed with non-curative colon cancer. Never one to quit halfway through, he forged ever forward until that was no longer possible.
Lovingly remembered and always missed by those fortunate to walk even part of this journey with him, are his wife, Juanita, her daughters and grandchildren, his son, Canaan (Leena Yanno), his brother Rob (Alice) and their son, Fletcher, his former partner Doris (Link) Leclair, and stepdaughter, Tracy (Scott Hopper), and grandchildren Navhshae, Brindee, Linnea and Jett.
Don was one of the “good old boys” who loved old cars, fine wine, good food and interesting people. Whatever your preferred beverage, his family invites you to take a moment to remember him and raise a glass, saying, “Cheers, big ears!”
On the road again
Like a band o' gypsies, we go down the highway
We're the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turning our way
And our way - On the Road Again/Willie Nelson
You are invited to leave a personal message for the family.