Alie Allen Loewen, age 93, died Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at Garden Valley Retirement Village in Garden City, Kansas. He was born on February 17, 1932, to Elizabeth (Lizzie) Siebert Loewen and William Harms Loewen. The family made their home on a farm between Hillsboro and Gossel, Kansas. He was the third of nine children. Lavina, Verna, Elmer, Wanda, Agnes, Pete, Melville and Welsey, all his sibling preceded him in death. Wesley died at birth.
The family moved to Ulysses when the children were fairly young. Ulysses is where Alie graduated from high school. Soon after graduation, Alie enlisted in the Marines. He was stationed in Korea during the Korean War. He was proud to serve his country and very proud to be a Marine. After Alie came back home, he went to college at Hays University, where he majored in Botany. He was very proud of his accomplishment and was the first in his family to receive a college education.
After college he started working for the Soil Conservation Office in Coldwater, Kansas. This is where he met Eleanor (Jackson) Haun. Eleanor was a recent widow with two children, Andrea Haun and Charles Haun. Alie and Eleanor were married on October 18, 1959, in the First Christian Church in Coldwater. The family remained in Coldwater for a few months and later relocated to Ulysses.
January 7, 1961, Bradley was born to Eleanor and Alie, making a family of five.
Alie first worked at Dekalb after moving to Ulysses. His love for farming and livestock was strong. He quit Dekalb and worked for several farmers in the area. Eventually he was able to buy and rent land and buy a cow herd.
Eleanor was diagnosed with MS in 1976. The disease progressed over the next twenty years. Alie took care of her during her lengthy illness. On his birthday in 1998, Eleanor lost her battle with MS.
Alie became friends with Doris Sperry. Doris recently lost her husband to cancer. Soon their friendship became more. They made a commitment to each other and spent the next 20 years together. In 2008 they moved to Garden City, where Doris’ family lived. They were together until Doris passed in December of 2018. Alie continued to live in the house they shared.
Alie had a passion for growing things. Nothing made him prouder than giving garden produce to friends and relatives. He especially loved to can pickled beets. In this respect he took after his mother. She always raised a huge garden and canned many things including pickled beets.
Alie was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, Eleanor Loewen and Doris Speery.
Alie is survived by his children, Andrea Johnson and husband Galen, Chuck Haun and wife Sylvia, and Brad Loewen and wife Claudia; four grandchildren, Amber Klempke and husband Dean, Lisa Eldridge and husband David, April Decker and husband Tony, and Laura Hughes and husband Cody; and great-grandchildren, Melissa Garcia, Matthew Garcia, Miriam, Isaiah, Samuel, Anna and Rebekah Eldridge, and Scarlett and Finnian Hughes. Alie was also blessed with wonderful friends, nieces and nephews.
Funeral service will be Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Garnand Funeral Home Chapel in Ulysses, Kansas, with Reverend Rafael Franco officiating. A private interment will be at the Ulysses Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave, Ulysses, KS 67880. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com.
