Obituary of Richard Patrick "Rich" Low

Richard Patrick Low, 63, of Lodi, our beloved brother, uncle, and friend, ended his journey in this life on Wednesday, February 3, following a short illness. While we will mourn our loss, he left his family a legacy of grace - possessing extraordinary strength, integrity, unconditional love, and compassion for his fellow man. Plagued with years of health problems, Rich never faltered, but rather embraced each sunrise and sunset with a beautiful smile that lent us warmth and comfort, a gentle spirt we shall always remember. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at Lodi Funeral Home, 725 S. Fairmont Avenue in Lodi. St. Anne's Catholic Church will officiate. Inurnment will be private. Rich was born a twin on January 5, 1953, in Vallejo, California. He was the third son of the late Daniel Andrew and Barbara E. (Porter) Low. He grew up in Vallejo. Rich attended Vallejo High School, graduating in 1971. A natural athlete, he excelled in weight lifting, football, and baseball. He also developed an interest and skills in photography. In 1976, Rich graduated cum laude from Fresno State University with a bachelor's degree in biology. He lived in Vacaville for 15 years, working as a biologist with the County of Solano Department of Agriculture, enjoying traveling the farm and ranchlands of Solano County inspecting plants, animals and beehives, retiring in 2005. Rich moved to Lodi into 2005 and lived until his death in the home built by his grandparents, Briggs and Julia Porter. He was proud of his family heritage and embraced his new home, rendering a fallow garden into a virtual cornucopia of vegetables, fruit trees, flowers and plants. A lover of the earth and the bounty it produced, Rich enjoyed the beauty and serenity of nature and often experimented. His last summer flower project was an abundance of multi-colored Hollyhocks, and his last "crop" was cotton. He also kept bees, and generously passed out jars of his golden bee nectar to all. Rich was known as a true gentleman, gracious and kind to all he met. We loved his wry sense of humor. He lived by strong moral and ethical values, with unwavering faith in himself and in God. He was a problem-solver who met adversity head on. We will remember his simple mantra: "Let's get going, half the day is gone!" He loved his family dearly, never said "no," never complained, and never thought of his own needs. He believed in lifelong education, and shrugged off new technology. If Rich wanted to learn something new, he was known for hopping on his bicycle and visiting the library. An avid reader, he enjoyed a well-written suspense novel. He had boundless energy, and was a diligent, seemingly tireless worker. Rich leaves behind his twin brother, Robert and "Rachel" of Vacaville; brother Daniel Jr. and sister-in law Colleene of Forestville; niece Christine and her husband, Rico Gonzalez of Santa Rosa, nephew Daniel 111 and his wife, Linda, of Santa Rosa, numerous cousins, and many friends. Bon voyage, Rich!