Obituary of Lowell E. Vining
Lowell Edward Vining, of Ashland, New York, died unexpectedly from a stroke on Monday evening May 26, 2025 at Albany Medical Center. He was 74.
Lowell was the second of three children born to Leonard and Mariam Wiers Vining (both deceased) of Maplecrest, New York. He was born on January 15, 1951. He is survived by his older sister Louise Keneally and younger brother Lenny. Lowell was married to Jill Zieber, who predeceased him in 2003. Their only son, Scott Vining Sr. is also deceased. Lowell has three grandchildren, Lakken Marie Vining Kovacik, Scott Edward Vining Jr. and Brian Alexander Vining, and a great-granddaughter, Izabella Grace-Marie Vining.
Lowell graduated from Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School in 1969. He attended SUNY in Oneonta, NY, majoring in Math. After college, he sold life insurance for a couple of years; worked for Ray Meltz Construction for a time and eventually found his place of service at the Windham school as a janitor and bus driver until his early retirement due to a disability. He appreciated his job because it gave him a place of influence among young people whom he loved. He had a knack for knowing how to encourage kids going through a rough patch because he had weathered several of his own. He understood the need for second chances and gave them freely.
Lowell was a beloved Sunday School teacher at Living Faith Community Church for middle and highschoolers in his younger adult years, he was a generous giver, and frequently volunteered his labor to work on the church and parsonage alongside his father. He loved everything about baseball, from Little League to the pros and often reminisced about the fine young men he had coached on Windham’s Babe Ruth team. He served his community as a town judge from 1986-1994 and struggled to make the law serve people with justice and common sense. He mourned the times he didn’t succeed. He built an apartment in his home to care for both his parents during the last several years of their lives and considered it a high honor to be able to give back to them a portion of what they had given to him.
Lowell loved his honeybees and was a lifelong learner, observing and studying them since boyhood. In his younger years he loved to hunt and fish… but over time, hunting and fishing turned into just sitting and observing with a deep knowledge of the natural world and an appreciation for every living thing. Though physically disabled for 20+ years he pressed on through daily pain with an undiminished sense of humor and a deep thankfulness to the Lord for his blessed life.
Lowell never travelled much because he felt like he lived in the greatest place on earth. He marveled at the seasonal beauty of the mountain-top, and especially the fine people of his community. If he were here today, he would likely share one of his many poems to express his gratitude to you for making room in your hearts and minds for him…the “outspoken mountain philosopher.”
Lowell was loyal in friendship, highly principled, and often outspoken. He especially loved to share with people about his best friend and Savior, Jesus Christ…sometimes with words or a heart-felt prayer, but often with practical acts of generosity and service behind the scenes.
Lowell lived life at his own pace, did things his own way and left room for others to do the same. He was a unique soul who will be missed by those who knew him, but not soon forgotten!
Lowell’s Celebration of Life service will be at Living Faith Community Church in Maplecrest on July 19th at 11am, with lunch to follow.
If you wish to send a financial gift as a memorial, it would please Lowell if you sent it to his church:
Living Faith Community Church – Box 58 Route 56 – Maplecrest, NY 12454 He loved his church “family”.
Care has been entrusted to Decker Funeral Home, condolences may be left at www.deckerfh.com.