William T. "Bill" Lowmaster was a coal miner for most of his life. He also owned a private family farm. But what he enjoyed was sales. He sold Raleigh products, door to door, and Dan Smith Candies at Christmas and Easter. Many people knew him simply as the Candy Man. He sold candy into his 90s and was extremely proud of driving "door-to-door" (there isn't door to door where he lived).
Michele Huey wrote "He was a real human dynamo and could dance circles around people one-fourth his age, even when he was in his mid-90s. He loved selling, gardening, people and God - and driving down the road as if he were training for the Indianapolis 500. I called him 'The White Streak' because his hair never laid flat on top; it always seemed to stick straight up. I told him that the speed limit wasn't the same as his age.
"He baked bread (from scratch), canned his garden harvest and collected clothes for homeless shelters. He even took the time to deliver them.
"Thanks to him, my family enjoyed fresh blueberries, vegetables right from the garden and the best chocolate-covered nuts this side of heaven. If I didn't have the money right then, he trusted me to pay him when I had it.
"He always had a stick of gum or something for the kids, and he never left without a hug and telling us that he loved us." (Indiana Gazette, January 20, 2002)
The son of Thomas Allison and Rosella ("Rose") Emerick Lowmaster, he was the fifth of eight children but outlived them all. Born and raised in Indiana Co., Pa., he lived in the same house for 70 years before failing health had him move to Somerset, Pa., to live with his daughter, Naomi Sherry, and then, to a nursing home.
With sparking blue eyes, he always had a twinkle in his eyes. He liked to tease. His kids tell a story when they were young and some girls were over visiting. They lived out in the country with nothing but forests for miles. Dark outside, Bill went up the road and hid then when the girls got close to him he made the sound of a bobcat. The girls went running back to the house scared to death. Bill had to walk them all the way home. He loved it.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers: Rev. Vane Lowmaster, Leroy Lowmaster, Walter Lowmaster, Charles Lowmaster; and three sisters: Mrs. Thomas (Jessie) Lloyd, Mrs. Carlton (Edna) States, and Mrs. James (Leola) Winebark.
On March 22, 1924, he married Ruth Ann States, daughter of John T. and Mae (Bartlebaugh) States. Ruth died on March 15, 1983.
In addition he was preceded in death by a daughter, Helen, stillborn son, William T., one grandchild, Beth Rae Sherry, and one great-grandchild, Lindsay Sherry.
He was survived by four children: Roberta Baun, Dan Lowmaster, Naomi Sherry, and Lloyd Lowmaster; 17 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Michele Huey wrote "He was a real human dynamo and could dance circles around people one-fourth his age, even when he was in his mid-90s. He loved selling, gardening, people and God - and driving down the road as if he were training for the Indianapolis 500. I called him 'The White Streak' because his hair never laid flat on top; it always seemed to stick straight up. I told him that the speed limit wasn't the same as his age.
"He baked bread (from scratch), canned his garden harvest and collected clothes for homeless shelters. He even took the time to deliver them.
"Thanks to him, my family enjoyed fresh blueberries, vegetables right from the garden and the best chocolate-covered nuts this side of heaven. If I didn't have the money right then, he trusted me to pay him when I had it.
"He always had a stick of gum or something for the kids, and he never left without a hug and telling us that he loved us." (Indiana Gazette, January 20, 2002)
The son of Thomas Allison and Rosella ("Rose") Emerick Lowmaster, he was the fifth of eight children but outlived them all. Born and raised in Indiana Co., Pa., he lived in the same house for 70 years before failing health had him move to Somerset, Pa., to live with his daughter, Naomi Sherry, and then, to a nursing home.
With sparking blue eyes, he always had a twinkle in his eyes. He liked to tease. His kids tell a story when they were young and some girls were over visiting. They lived out in the country with nothing but forests for miles. Dark outside, Bill went up the road and hid then when the girls got close to him he made the sound of a bobcat. The girls went running back to the house scared to death. Bill had to walk them all the way home. He loved it.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers: Rev. Vane Lowmaster, Leroy Lowmaster, Walter Lowmaster, Charles Lowmaster; and three sisters: Mrs. Thomas (Jessie) Lloyd, Mrs. Carlton (Edna) States, and Mrs. James (Leola) Winebark.
On March 22, 1924, he married Ruth Ann States, daughter of John T. and Mae (Bartlebaugh) States. Ruth died on March 15, 1983.
In addition he was preceded in death by a daughter, Helen, stillborn son, William T., one grandchild, Beth Rae Sherry, and one great-grandchild, Lindsay Sherry.
He was survived by four children: Roberta Baun, Dan Lowmaster, Naomi Sherry, and Lloyd Lowmaster; 17 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
William T. "Bill" Lowmaster was a coal miner for most of his life. He also owned a private family farm. But what he enjoyed was sales. He sold Raleigh products, door to door, and Dan Smith Candies at Christmas and Easter. Many people knew him simply as the Candy Man. He sold candy into his 90s and was extremely proud of driving "door-to-door" (there isn't door to door where he lived).
Michele Huey wrote "He was a real human dynamo and could dance circles around people one-fourth his age, even when he was in his mid-90s. He loved selling, gardening, people and God - and driving down the road as if he were training for the Indianapolis 500. I called him 'The White Streak' because his hair never laid flat on top; it always seemed to stick straight up. I told him that the speed limit wasn't the same as his age.
"He baked bread (from scratch), canned his garden harvest and collected clothes for homeless shelters. He even took the time to deliver them.
"Thanks to him, my family enjoyed fresh blueberries, vegetables right from the garden and the best chocolate-covered nuts this side of heaven. If I didn't have the money right then, he trusted me to pay him when I had it.
"He always had a stick of gum or something for the kids, and he never left without a hug and telling us that he loved us." (Indiana Gazette, January 20, 2002)
The son of Thomas Allison and Rosella ("Rose") Emerick Lowmaster, he was the fifth of eight children but outlived them all. Born and raised in Indiana Co., Pa., he lived in the same house for 70 years before failing health had him move to Somerset, Pa., to live with his daughter, Naomi Sherry, and then, to a nursing home.
With sparking blue eyes, he always had a twinkle in his eyes. He liked to tease. His kids tell a story when they were young and some girls were over visiting. They lived out in the country with nothing but forests for miles. Dark outside, Bill went up the road and hid then when the girls got close to him he made the sound of a bobcat. The girls went running back to the house scared to death. Bill had to walk them all the way home. He loved it.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers: Rev. Vane Lowmaster, Leroy Lowmaster, Walter Lowmaster, Charles Lowmaster; and three sisters: Mrs. Thomas (Jessie) Lloyd, Mrs. Carlton (Edna) States, and Mrs. James (Leola) Winebark.
On March 22, 1924, he married Ruth Ann States, daughter of John T. and Mae (Bartlebaugh) States. Ruth died on March 15, 1983.
In addition he was preceded in death by a daughter, Helen, stillborn son, William T., one grandchild, Beth Rae Sherry, and one great-grandchild, Lindsay Sherry.
He was survived by four children: Roberta Baun, Dan Lowmaster, Naomi Sherry, and Lloyd Lowmaster; 17 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Michele Huey wrote "He was a real human dynamo and could dance circles around people one-fourth his age, even when he was in his mid-90s. He loved selling, gardening, people and God - and driving down the road as if he were training for the Indianapolis 500. I called him 'The White Streak' because his hair never laid flat on top; it always seemed to stick straight up. I told him that the speed limit wasn't the same as his age.
"He baked bread (from scratch), canned his garden harvest and collected clothes for homeless shelters. He even took the time to deliver them.
"Thanks to him, my family enjoyed fresh blueberries, vegetables right from the garden and the best chocolate-covered nuts this side of heaven. If I didn't have the money right then, he trusted me to pay him when I had it.
"He always had a stick of gum or something for the kids, and he never left without a hug and telling us that he loved us." (Indiana Gazette, January 20, 2002)
The son of Thomas Allison and Rosella ("Rose") Emerick Lowmaster, he was the fifth of eight children but outlived them all. Born and raised in Indiana Co., Pa., he lived in the same house for 70 years before failing health had him move to Somerset, Pa., to live with his daughter, Naomi Sherry, and then, to a nursing home.
With sparking blue eyes, he always had a twinkle in his eyes. He liked to tease. His kids tell a story when they were young and some girls were over visiting. They lived out in the country with nothing but forests for miles. Dark outside, Bill went up the road and hid then when the girls got close to him he made the sound of a bobcat. The girls went running back to the house scared to death. Bill had to walk them all the way home. He loved it.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers: Rev. Vane Lowmaster, Leroy Lowmaster, Walter Lowmaster, Charles Lowmaster; and three sisters: Mrs. Thomas (Jessie) Lloyd, Mrs. Carlton (Edna) States, and Mrs. James (Leola) Winebark.
On March 22, 1924, he married Ruth Ann States, daughter of John T. and Mae (Bartlebaugh) States. Ruth died on March 15, 1983.
In addition he was preceded in death by a daughter, Helen, stillborn son, William T., one grandchild, Beth Rae Sherry, and one great-grandchild, Lindsay Sherry.
He was survived by four children: Roberta Baun, Dan Lowmaster, Naomi Sherry, and Lloyd Lowmaster; 17 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
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