Person Page 4,271

Obituary (Findagrave.com):

LOWELL WATKINS "LEFTY" MOTT, age 91, of Elizabeth Township, Troy, Ohio passed away Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, surrounded by his family. He was born in Shelby County, Ohio on April 15, 1923 to the late Loammi and Dale (Watkins) Mott. On October 18, 1946, he married Betty Pauline Gundolf. They enjoyed 67 years of marriage and Betty survives.

Lowell is also survived by four children and their spouses: Linda (Dr. Mark) Bentley of Piqua, Brenda (Larry) Zimmerman of Marysville, Michael Lowell (Carolyn) Mott of New Albany, and Stacy (Mike) Karadak of Troy; and his grandchildren: Megan Bentley, Jarrod (Amanda) Zimmerman, Evan and Chase Zimmerman, Adam and Alyson Mott, and Kyle and Kley Karadak. Lowell was preceded in death by two brothers: Harold and Leland Mott.

Lowell was a graduate of Lostcreek School in 1941. He continued his studies with the US Army through the University of Iowa. Lowell proudly served his country as a member of the 7th Army 44th Division, 63rd Combat Engineering Battalion during WWII, June 1943-December 1945. His Division was part of the European Theatre that served longer than any other Division. His duties included building bridges and sweeping mines in advance of the troops.

Lowell was a former baseball player on local teams and that is where he earned his nickname Lefty. He was an avid Cincinnati Reds and Ohio State University sports fan. He enjoyed watching all of his grandchildren's activities from sports to theatre and was always there to support them. Lowell was a member of the Cove Springs Grange, the Cove Springs United Church of Christ, and a former member of the Elizabeth Township Zoning Board and the Miami County Farm Bureau.

Lowell built his first home from ground up with simple equipment and determination and a desire to learn on his own all the trades required and needed to accomplish this large feat. In 1960, the opportunity to purchase a large farm occurred and he sold his home and moved to the farmhouse, which he and Betty completely restored to its original beauty.

Lowell became a longtime area farmer in his spare time and enjoyed the Miami County Fair and the 4-H activities that his children were involved in. He always welcomed friends, neighbors and family to swim in his pool and a highlight for he and Betty was holding the Elizabeth 4-H Beef Club Steak Fry and pool party each summer. Along with his wife Betty, he enjoyed collecting and refinishing antiques and could be found almost every Saturday at an auction. His craftsmanship in wood working could turn an inexpensive antique auction item into a piece of art. As his children became adults and married he was involved in almost all of their homeowner projects whether it be for advice or actual hands on work.

He was a pet lover and was known in the neighborhood for having the biggest dogs (his beloved Great Danes), although his wife turned him into a small dog lover in his later years. One of Lowell's biggest accomplishments was his long career at Hobart Brothers in Troy, Ohio. He worked for Hobart Brothers (welding) for 48 years and climbed the ladder of success during that time. Directly from high school in 1941, he started on the ground floor packing electrodes at the manufacturing plant. WWII interrupted his career, but he returned to work in 1946 and eventually assumed the role of foreman. In 1967, he was promoted to Research Engineer due to his efforts on working directly with Mr. E.A. Hobart. In 1977, he became Assistant Director of Research and Development for Hobart Brothers. In 1984, he was promoted to Director of Research and Development, a position he held until his retirement in 1989. His career continued as he was asked to come back often to do consulting and development for the company, leading to a major development in 2004 that led to a patent.

He was credited with the development of several mild steel all purpose wires and his products were used on the Sears Tower, The World Trade Center and by major U.S. manufacturers such as Ford and Chrysler and the U.S. Navy submarine fleet . He was inducted last fall as a Counselor into the American Welding Society held in Chicago, IL. His nominators described Lowell as having an ingenious approach to solving problems and as an incredible teacher and as a fun person to be around with a relentless pursuit for perfection. He was referred to as a classic Horatio Alger story of a man who through hard work, determination, courage, and honesty accomplished much for his company, his industry, and his country.

Friends may call from 3-7 PM on Sunday, July 20, 2014 and funeral services will be at 10:30 AM on Monday, July 21, 2014 at Baird Funeral Home in Troy with Rev. Ed Beeson officiating. Burial will follow in Casstown Cemetery in Casstown. The Veteran's Honor Guard will provide services at the graveside.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Miami East Athletic Boosters, 3825 N State Route 589, Casstown, OH 45312 OR Elizabeth Township Community Center, 5760 E Walnut Grove Road, Troy, OH 45373. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.bairdfuneralhome.com.