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Andrew Lowinger

Andy Lowinger

Andy Lowinger

Andrew “Andy” Lowinger, a Holocaust survivor and an escapee of Communist Romania, passed away Dec. 19, 2017, in Denver. He was 96. Rabbi Bruce Dollin and Cantor Martin Goldstein officiated at the Dec. 21 service at the HEA. Interment followed at Mt. Nebo Cemetery. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.

“Andy lived a dramatic and remarkable life,” his loved ones said. “His legacy lives on with his beloved children and grandchildren, their spouses, and his great-grandchildren.”

Mr. Lowinger was born April 17, 1921, in the Transylvania region of Romania. His family was ethnic Hungarian and lived a strong Jewish life in the community.

In 1940, when he was 19, Mr. Lowinger was forced into slave labor by the Hungarian army and sent to Ukraine.

The Jews of the region, including his family, were deported to various concentration camps in 1944.

Mr. Lowinger was liberated from Mauthausen in 1945.

His parents, most of his aunts and uncles and many cousins had perished, but he reunited with his brother and sister in Romania.

In 1946, as Romania was falling under the Soviet bloc, Mr. Lowinger escaped through Hungary into Austria and then to Munich, Germany, which had the most favorable economic conditions.

He established a nylon stocking business and worked there from 1946-1951.

When President Harry S Truman initiated an open immigration policy to the US, Mr. Lowinger, then 30, sailed on the USS General M.L. Hersey to New York’s Ellis Island.

Sponsored by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, he was sent to Cincinnati.

Mr. Lowinger later moved to Bay Shore, Long Island, and opened a second-hand clothing business.

In 1953, a mutual friend introduced him to Irene Zauberer, who worked at a candy kiosk in Grand Central Station.

They married three months later.

In 1956, the couple moved to Los Angeles where Mr. Lowinger established Lincoln Gasoline and Tires, a successful chain.

In 2003, a year after Mrs. Lowinger passed away, he moved to Denver to be with his family.

A member of the HEA, he enjoyed swimming and participating in events at the Denver JCC for many years.

Andy Lowinger is survived by his children Michael (Cynthia “Ceci”) Lowinger of Denver and Steve (Dave Dean) of San Francisco; grandchildren Hannah (Ari) Goldberg, Eve (Aaron Meyerhoff) Lowinger, Joel Lowinger and Sam Lowinger; and great-grandchildren Noa Tziporah and Ora Leah Goldberg.

Contributions may be made to Denver Jewish Day School or the HEA.

Copyright © 2018 by the Intermountain Jewish News




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