Herbert Low

With deepest sadness, the family of Herbert Low shares news of his passing on October 5, 2018. His devoted wife of 54 years cared for him and remained by his side until the end. He died peacefully in Fremont, California surrounded by loved ones. Herb was born in Visalia, California, the youngest of five children, to Chinese immigrants. The family moved to Los Banos, California where Herb attended high school. Outgoing, studious and athletic, he made friends easily and excelled in academics and school sports. Herb obtained his pharmacy degree from the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy, achieved membership in the Rho Chi Honor Society, and belonged to the professional pharmacy fraternity of Phi Delta Chi. In 1962, he volunteered to serve his country as an officer in the US Army. He served in the Medical Corps, 12th Evac, for three years as a Lieutenant stationed at Fort Ord in Monterey, California. After active duty, he served in the Army Reserves until 1968. Determination and strong work ethics were traits he attributed to his parents. For nearly three decades, Herb and his wife, Gloria owned and operated National Drug Store, a local insider landmark and hub of commercial and social life in town. He took great pride in the integrity of his independent pharmacy practice and deeply cared that his clients receive the highest quality of care and professionalism. Eventually, they sold the business to Payless/Rite Aid and Herb joined their pharmacy team until his retirement in 1997. Herb had such great appreciation for those who had supported him. He never lost ties to that quaint town in the heart of the Central Valley where he is remembered with great fondness and respect. Herb was a bon vivant whose mantra was “carpe diem!” During his retirement years, Herb pursued his hobbies and interests with renewed vigor and insatiable curiosity. He reveled in being outdoors: camping, fishing, golfing, and skiing. He enjoyed skiing in Tahoe and earned the nickname “Silver Fox” on the slopes of Heavenly where his favorite run was skiing loops on Olympic Downhill without stopping. Herb loved to eat. He would experiment with different styles of cooking and different foods, using recipes he gathered from people he met and places he traveled. He took from a Cantonese saying, “If it walks, swims, crawls, or flies and its back is to the sky, I’ll eat it.” The son of a butcher, Herb challenged himself by getting the cheapest cuts of meat and still making it taste deliciously gourmet. For camping trips, he carefully planned each meal with precision. Herb and Gloria traveled to many interesting and exotic places where adventure would find him: Mexico, Italy, Spain, France, Jamaica, Alaska, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Hawaii, French Polynesia, and Marquesas Islands. Although no matter where he was, he made life interesting. Herb, being young at heart, embodied “joie de vivre” and, at the same time, he had the old soul of a deep thinker. While he connected with people from all ages and walks of life through shared stories and laughter, it was the love of family and the value of lasting friendship that were most meaningful to him. Married 54 years to Gloria, Herb held true to his familial responsibilities. They helped to raise his son and grandkids from a previous chapter in life and built a tight-knit family with the daughter they share together. Gloria’s family in Tahiti embraced Herb with love, laughter and joy of family life. They loved to throw parties in honor of Herb, their favorite “Tonton”. He was always ready for a good party! At 81 years old, he was dancing and singing until the end. Herb was passionate about life, a loving family man, and a loyal friend. His witty sense of humor and smile captured hearts. Herb lived a fulfilling life and we were so fortunate to be a part of it. He was dearly loved by his family and will be missed by all who knew him. Herb is survived by his wife Gloria Low and daughter Danielle Low. Also, he is survived by a son, Mark Low and two grandchildren; siblings Henry Low and Jenny Bruyn; cousin William Sue; and many loving nieces, nephews and relatives. Predeceased by his parents; his brothers John Low and Morey Low; and two beloved pet Samoyeds. Our family is grateful to: Dr. Luis Alvarez, Dr. Soham Jhaveri, Dr. Mary Ann Lloyd and Dr. Megan Swan at Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Dr. Christopher Ta at Stanford Eye Institute, the team at Davita Dialysis, the team at Sutter Health Hospice and Comfort Keepers We are so thankful for their immeasurably kind and personal care they offered Herb. Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 10:00 am at Berge Pappas Smith Chapel of the Angels in Fremont, CA Final Internment will be at a later date in the Cimetière chinois, le chemin du repos eternal, Arue Tahiti, French Polynesia. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution in Herb’s name to a charity of your choice or one of the following: Yosemite Conservancy, Ocean Conservancy, or Canine Companions for Independence