CHLORIS ALFRED LOWE, KEREJUSEPSKAGA (WINTER HAWK)
CHLORIS ALFRED LOWE, KEREJUSEPSKAGA (WINTER HAWK)
Chloris Alfred Lowe, Kerejusepskaga (Winter Hawk) passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by family Nov. 6, 2024.
Chloris Alfred Lowe was the son of Mabel Davis and Martin Lowe and son of all those before him with grandparents George Lowe and Lena Decorra, John Davis and Minnie Pigeon. His ancestors and ancestors of many tribal members who read this: Charles Lowe and Mary Winneshiek, Charles Decorah and White Cloud Woman, John Davis and Lucy Nandory; Frank Pigeon and Woman Sent, Four Deer Decorah and Flying in the Village, Young Pigeon, Jennie Standingwater, Flying Low Cloud, before them many others – all gave him life and now he returns.
He was born in a ciiporoke (wigwam) “below the hill” west of the Ho-Chunk Indian Mission, Dec. 12, 1927. Chloris was third in a family of six children; he was removed from his family at five and taken to the Neillsville Indian Boarding School. He later attended Black River Falls High School, excelling in sports and graduating in 1945. In high school, Chloris met Anita Nemitz, a cheerleader for Alma Center who would become his wife. They were married 67 years when Anita passed. Chloris and Anita raised three children.
Chloris drove trucks from his late teens until retiring in 2003. He was an ardent member of the Teamsters Union, local 710. He hauled freight for millions of miles and worked for Indianhead Trucking, Glendenning Motorways and Millis Trucking among others.
Following his retirement from trucking, he worked in the language division of the Ho-Chunk Nation for some 20 years, into his 90s. He lent his storytelling and artistic talents to this effort.
His love of drawing and teaching the young ones is seen in his illustrated language guides. He was well known for his art works that included drawing and painting in many media. He could quickly draw cartoons and would leave them with friends and family. He created many more detailed works of the Ho-Chunk people, capturing their lives, their stories – both past and present.
Chloris is survived by sons Chloris Jr. (Christine), and William (Rebecca); daughter JoDeen; grandchildren Chloris III, Kjetil (Henning) Garvin, Abigail Lowe, Ashley Buntova, Avery Lowe and Allison Lowe; and 12 great-grandchildren and many other relatives.
Chloris was preceded in death by his wife, Anita; his parents; brothers Clifford, Raymond and Truman; and sisters Arvina, Irene and Mildred.
A celebration of Chloris’ life will be Dec. 18, 2024, at the District I Community Center, N7261 Warrior Ave., Black River Falls, WI. Visitation at 10 a.m. and service at 11:30 a.m. with a meal at 12 noon.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Hospice Touch of Tomah, WI, for their kind care in the final days.
Hare Funeral Home of New Lisbon aided the family in the cremation and arrangements. Online condolences available at www.harefuneralhome.com.