Bernard Lowell Mayer passed away quietly and peacefully on November 6, 2018 at Laurels of Defiance with family at his side.

Lowell was born in Defiance to Albert and Clara (Busch) Mayer on March 31, 1925.  On November 28, 1945 he and Patricia Kroeckel were married at St. John's Catholic Church.

Lowell served as a Navy Aviator in WWII. The war ended just prior to the completion of his training as a fighter pilot at which time he chose to receive an honorable discharge and return to Defiance.

He began his working life as a Parts Manager for Schatz Chrysler Plymouth. For several years he owned and operated the Shell Gas Station on Baltimore Road in Defiance. He was an agent for Prudential Insurance and a salesman for National Memorial Stone Company in Ft. Wayne. In 1965 Lowell purchased Bud's Restaurant for his Brother Elden and the rest is history.

Lowell found his calling baking fluffy cinnamon rolls and a variety of pies, the fresh peach being one of the most popular. His donation of a fresh raspberry berry pie to Hospice each year, eventually becoming known as "Charlie's Pie" in memory of Charlie Chatham, raising as much as $42,000 for a pie one year. He was proud to be a part of the Defiance Community and to be able to participate in many small ways.

His hobbies were connecting with his customers at Bud's, providing employment and life coaching for many high school kids and adults over the years and providing for his family. He and Pat enjoyed vacationing at the lakes around Angola, In., traveling to Vermont and to Boston where he had attended classes at Harvard as part of his Aviator training.

He will be sadly missed by his wife of 73 years, Patricia, sons, Jeffrey (Diane) Mayer, Eric (Mary) Mayer, Matthew (Sue) Mayer, son-in-law Tom (Beth) Rex and daughter Melinda (Raymond) Mascolino; grandchildren Kim Mayer, Tim (Wendy) Mayer, Jennifer Pelland, Katie  (Chad) Relue, Molly (Justin) Motsch, Erica (Andrew) Mayhill, Sam ( Julia), Aaron (Stephanie) Rex, Adam (Jennifer) Rex, Pete Rex, Elizabeth and Anthony Mayer, Nathan (Rachel) Mascolino, Erin (Micah) Lasher, Joseph, Sophia and Isabella Mascolino, 15 great-grandchildren, 9 great-great grandchildren and a sister Evelyn Manahan.

Lowell was preceded in death by his parents Albert and Clara, brother Elden, sister Norma and daughters, Jennifer Mayer and Amy Rex.

Visitation will be at Schaffer Funeral Home Sunday November 11 from 2:00 until 8:00. There will be a vigil service at 7:30 Sunday. A funeral Mass will be at St. John Catholic Church at 10:00 Monday November 12 with Fr. Randy Giesige officiating. Interment will be private at Riverside Cemetery at a later date.

Memorial may be made to CHP Hospice, The Red Cross or St. Mary's Church.