Lowell Gene Sheely of Dover, Minn., died on Sunday, March 31, at the Yuma Regional Hospital in Yuma, Ariz.

He was born July 6, 1931, in Guckeen, Minn. to Charles “Art” and Peryl (Davis) Sheely. Shortly after they moved to Olie, Iowa, they moved back to the Austin, Minn., area in 1946. He graduated from Elkton High School in 1948. Lowell worked on the Regan farm until entering the U.S. Army, serving from 1951 to 1954 during the Korean War. After retuning he worked for Kace Lumberyard in Austin.

On June 27, 1955, he married Wilma Rugg. Together they farmed near Brownsdale, Minn. first milking cows then raising hogs and beef cattle. In 1967 they purchased a farm near Dover, Minn., continuing to raise hogs, beef cattle and crops.

He was an active member for many years in NFO (serving a term as president), Minnesota Beef Council, and St. Charles Moose Lodge (serving two terms as governor), and the American Legion. Along with farming threw the years he also sold Vinton Seedcorn, Archer Oil, and Occo Feeds and a lot of custom work. And he worked for the ASCS Office/Farm Service Agency from 1980 to 1991 as a field reporter and 1992 to 1995 serving as a county committee member.

He loved fishing, farming, more fishing, bowling, planting a large garden with lots of watermelon and muskmelon, and was an avid listener to opening and closing markets. Around 2001 he shifted into retirement consisting of planting a larger than needed garden and lots of fishing for sunnies and crappies and hosting his annual fish fry for all the relatives. This was the year they began to spend their winters in Yuma, Ariz. where he enjoyed the warmer winters, the different agriculture, and the people.

Lowell is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Wilma, and their four children: Beverly (Jack) Briggs of Eyota, Gene Sheely (Deb Ward) of Byron, Minn., Rebecca(Becky) Sheely of Dover, Minn., and LouAnn (Wayne) Ellringer of Eyota, Minn.: grandchildren, Jessica (Eric) Allen, Amanda Briggs, Jill Sheely, Jesse Halling (Nina Jacobson), Joshua Ellrnger (Amanda Sexton), Nicole Ellringer, Samuel Ellringer, Joseph Ellringer; step-grandchildren: Heather Connelly, Katie (Travis) Wiskow, Brandi (Steve) Claffy; great grandchildren: Matthew, Kourtney, Brianna, Tiffany Allen; Madyson, Lucas Johnson, Tyle, Megan Williams, Jacob, Aiden Halling; babygirl Ellringer; step-great-grandchildren: Brenna, Christian Connelly; Dante, Mason, Preston Wiskow, Abby, Jensen Claffy, Holly Sexton; three sisters: Eloise Foss, Caroline Bernard, Eleanor Johnson and two brothers, William (Bill) and Larry Sheely.

Lowell was preceded in death by his parents Art and Peryl Sheely and by one brother Laverne Sheely.

A celebration of Lowell’s life will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at Hoff Funeral Service in St. Charles with the Rev. Heather E. Klason officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery at Dover. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and one hour before services Tuesday at the funeral home. Please share a memory of Lowell at his on-line guestbook and view his Tribute Video when it becomes available at www.hofffuneral.com. Military graveside honors will be conducted by the Eyota American Legion.