Tributes to successful Wolverhampton banker and long-serving Rotarian Stanley Loweth
Tributes have been paid to a long-standing Rotarian who has died aged 102.
Stanley Loweth joined Wolverhampton Rotary in 1954, served as president from 1967 to 1968 and later became a Paul Harris Fellow – the organisation’s highest individual honour.
He was also a distinguished Freemason, avid Wolves fan and had previously been a respected local banker, for which he was awarded an MBE in 1973.
Mr Loweth died after a short illness at his home in Compton on August 27.
The youngest of his two sons, John, said he had instilled happiness in everyone around him.
John, added: “He was a brilliant family man. The one thing about him was that he never had a bad word to say about anyone.
“It didn’t matter who you were he would treat everyone with kindness and respect.
“The one thing that has shone through from all the tributes we have heard was that he was a true gentleman.
“Those two words have cropped up in all the cards we have had through.
“He was a kind and generous dad and he was faultless in everything he did.”
Mr Loweth was born in Handsworth, Birmingham, in 1914 and could remember Zeppelin bombers flying over the city.
His family moved to Bradmore, Wolverhampton, when he was just six years old and he remained in the city for the majority of his life, living later in Penn, Finchfield and finally Compton from 1976. As a boy he attended Wolverhampton Grammar School.
He worked for the Wolverhampton Trustee Savings Bank for 42 years and is credited with expanding the bank in the West Midlands.
In 1973 he was awarded an MBE for services to banking.
Speaking to the Express & Star on the occasion of his hundredth birthday, Mr Loweth, said: “I went to the palace to get my MBE, which was great. I had a wonderful day, but my work took me all over the country and beyond.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time working for the bank. I started out as a junior cashier at age 19 and worked my way up to general manager, which took me 23 years of hard work.”
Five years into his time with the bank, Mr Loweth was called up for national service. He was recruited to look after soldiers’ pay working around the country, while his main job was kept on hold until he returned. With Wolverhampton Rotary, he for many years was the organiser of bookings to a holiday home in Aberdovey for deserving causes. He was a member until his death and had previously been made an honorary life member.
As a Wolverhampton Freemason, Mr Loweth was involved in the distribution of more than £5 million in grants and donations.
He held the role secretary of the Staffordshire Masonic Charitable Association for 25 years before retiring in 2003.
During his time there, he was also appointed Provincial Grand Secretary, a post he held for 17 years.
Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire Master, John Lockley, said: “In my early years as a young Mason, Stanley was always so kind and patient, I really liked him and trusted his advice. He was an icon in the Province and beyond.
“One of my abiding memories was whilst at a meeting of Mark Masonry in Wolverhampton I was sitting near to Stanley during the meeting, which was attended by the Deputy Grand Master of the Mark Degree. Stanley did not hold Grand Rank in this Order, but during the meeting he was called out and appointed to Grand Rank there and then, which was not only unusual but a total surprise to everyone in the room, especially Stanley.”
Mr Loweth fell in love with Wolves after witnessing his first live match at the Molineux in 1924. Until his death he would follow the club’s results.
He was married to Dorothy for 52 years. She died in 1995. He had two sons, John and Derek, and three grandchildren. A date for his funeral has not yet been set.
