Obituary of Charles B. Loewen
Charles B. Loewen
Patrician Bay Street Broker
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Charles (“Chuck”) Barnard Loewen on March 16, 2019 at the age of 86. Chuck leaves behind his beloved wife of 61 years, Susanne; his five children, Philip, John, Laura (Ted), Carol and Emma (Brett); his grandchildren, Ross, Craig, and their mother Jacoline Loewen, Charlie, Jimmy, John, Isabel, Analise and Ivy; and his younger brother, John.
Chuck was born June 26, 1932 in Murree, Northern Pakistan near the Afghanistan border (at which time was British India). He was the son of General Sir Charles Falkland Loewen, a Canadian in the British Army and Lady Kathleen Gordon Loewen. Chuck’s family moved from India to England in 1938 just before war with Germany was declared. In 1940, he entered boarding school at Abberley Hall in Worcestershire, England and then attended Winchester College (Toye’s House) from 1945-1950 where he was captain of the Fencing Team. Having Canadian roots, Chuck returned to Canada for university and graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Economics in 1954. While at UBC, Chuck was Captain of the UBC Fencing Team and Fencing Champion of the Pacific Northwest. Throughout his time at university, Chuck was enlisted in the Canadian Officers Training Corps from which he graduated as a second lieutenant. He then attended the Harvard Business School from 1954-1956. While at HBS, Chuck met Susanne (“Susie”) Chester from Winnipeg (daughter of Philip Alfred Chester, Managing Director of the Hudson’s Bay Company and Isabel Ivey Chester of London Ontario) who was attending Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Chuck and Susie were married on June 29, 1957 and moved to New York City where Chuck worked for the venerable Canadian Brokerage firm Pitfield, Mackay, Ross Limited. From 1957-1970 Chuck worked at PMR in New York, Montreal and Toronto, ultimately heading up the research department there, before leaving in 1970 to form Loewen, Ondaatje, McCutcheon & Company (LOM) with Christopher Ondaatje and Fred McCutcheon. LOM was the first independent research-based institutional equity firm in Canada and, for the next two decades, was the leading institutional brokerage firm selling Canadian securities in Europe. Chuck had a passion for finance and loved putting people and deals together. Throughout his life, he was a major supporter of Canadian entrepreneurs and ensuring their ability to access growth capital within the Canadian market. Later in life, he was President of the Ticker Club of Canada and played a role in the Private Capital Market Association of Canada. In 2012, Chuck was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for Contribution to the Financial Industry in Canada.
Chuck had a passion for the outdoors and family. He loved fishing, canoeing, skiing and shooting and was never happier than when he was doing them with the people he loved. He spent years creating the ideal family retreat at the Boyne Mill in Mansfield, Ontario and happily spent time there enjoying his favorite pastimes with family and friends. Chuck had a great passion for life. He loved a good party and was even happier when it was combined with a good bottle of wine. It was devastating to everyone when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in his 70’s. However, Chuck continued to operate as best as he could for as long as he could. He was a wonderful husband, brother, father and grandfather and will be sorely missed by his family.
A memorial service will be held at Grace Church On-The-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Road, on Saturday April 6th at 1:00 pm. Reception to follow at 135 St. George Street. If desired, in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, 20 Eglinton Avenue West, 16th Floor, Toronto, M4R 1K8. Condolences may be forwarded through www.humphreymiles.com.
Questions?
