OBITUARY: Lowell Brockway Dana II

Lowell Brockway Dana II, age 85, passed away Sunday, February 27, 2022 at his home in North Muskegon, Mich. surrounded by his family.

He was born in Muskegon, MI on July 12, 1936 to Lowell and Zita Dana (Vos), attended Muskegon Public Schools and graduated from Lake Forest Academy High School in Lake Forest, IL. He received a B.A. in History in 1957 from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. He was an avid reader of history throughout his life. Lowell was active in ROTC while in college and served two years in the US Army Reserve. He attended graduate school at Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, PA, and returned to Muskegon in 1960 to try to revitalize his family business. Dana Printing Company was originally established in 1907 after his grandfather divested his ownership in the Muskegon Chronicle newspaper, but maintained the printing operations. Ownership had been retained by his family ever since his father and grandfather had tragically passed away within the same week in 1937. Lowell successfully rebuilt the business, and went on to lead it for the next 40 years.

He met Ellen Beary Steers (Nell) in 1962, and they married on November 27, 1965, and had four children. Their life together was filled with frequent trips and events among their family and large group of friends, including summer vacations in Michigan, ski trips in Michigan and Colorado, and winter vacations in Florida. Lowell was a very dedicated and supportive father, and especially enjoyed watching his children participate in school activities and never missed a sporting event.

Lowell retired in 2000, and he and Nell spent half their time in Boca Grande over the next 20 years. During this period, they continued to be actively involved in events with their expanded family and friends, traveled the world, and participated in philanthropic activities. Although Lowell spent his career in the printing industry, he also had a passion for following and investing in the stock market. This lifelong interest was originally sparked while visiting his Aunt Dorothy in New York City on breaks during college, and retirement gave him the opportunity to focus on it more often.

He was a lifelong member of the Muskegon Country Club, Muskegon Rotary Club, and St. Mary’s Catholic Church. He served on the boards of North Muskegon Public Schools, Old Kent Bank (Grand Haven) and the Paul C. Johnson Foundation, and as a Trustee of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.

To those who knew him, Lowell will be remembered for his humble personality, big heart and smile, commitment to family, friends and community, quiet and subtle sense of humor, and herculean memory of details. As his physical health declined over the last couple years, all of these attributes remained in place.

He is survived by his loving wife Nell of 56 years, four sons Brock (Susanne) of Muskegon, MI, Tom of Muskegon, MI, Tim (Lindsey) of Chicago, IL and Jeff (Mindy) of Muskegon, MI, his sister-in-law Alice Lingenfelter, and his grandchildren Alexandria, Kyler, Ian, Nick, Nella, Teddy and Ruben. He is also survived by nephews Edward Dana, Michael Steers, Andrew Steers, Matthew Steers, Patrick Steers, and Robby Lingenfelter; and nieces Krystal Irwin and Leigh Westergren.