Augusta - Retired Navy Senior Chief Lithographer William R. Lowans of Augusta and Estero, Fla., died Sunday, July 25, 2004, at MaineGeneral Medical Center, Augusta. He was born in Mercersburg, Pa., on Feb. 5, 1924, the son of Howard L. and Lillian (Zeis) Lowans. He was raised in Cove Gap, Pa., graduating from the former Lemasters High School in Lemasters, Pa. He enlisted in the Navy on Dec. 8, 1941. Chief Lowans started a long Navy career, both regular and Reserve, and retired in 1976. Early in his career, Chief Lowans received a Navy commendation and extensive press coverage for his keen eyesight, and was featured in Time magazine and the country?s major newspapers for saving crew members of a torpedoed merchant ship during adverse weather conditions in the north Atlantic. He was a crewmember aboard the U.S.S. Hambleton, a Navy destroyer, when it was torpedoed by a German submarine on Nov. 11, 1942, off the coast of Casablanca, Morocco, during the invasion of North Africa. Chief Lowans returned to the United States in August of 1943 and was a Plank Owner of the U.S.S. Knapp, DD653, being built at Bath Iron Works. While in Bath, he met his wife of 59 1/2 years. They were married on Feb. 27, 1945, when he was home on leave from the South Pacific. Chief Lowans was a gun captain aboard the U.S.S. Knapp and served in eight major engagements in the South Pacific and the South China Sea. He was aboard the Knapp during two different typhoons while at sea. The U.S.S. Knapp rescued crewman of the capsized destroyer U.S.S. Hull. Chief Lowans had been a resident of Augusta since 1953 and was employed at the Kennebec Journal and later at the Department of Veterans Affairs at Togus. He retired from Togus in November 2001 with 53 years of combined U.S. government service. He was a 50-year member and past commander of the Fitzgerald Cummings American Legion Post 2, Augusta. He was a Plank Owner of the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., and a member of the Fleet Reserve Unit 156 of Brunswick and the Tin Can Sailors Association. Mr. Lowans was predeceased by his parents, Howard and Lillian Lowans; and two brothers, Richard and Fred, all of Pennsylvania. He is survived by his wife, Lois Lowans of Augusta; a son, William Lowans and his wife, Deborah, of Randolph; his daughters, Suzanne LaGuardia and her husband, Robert, of Freeport, and Catherine Plouff and her husband, Jeffrey, of Woolwich; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. There will be no visiting at this time. A committal service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday in the chapel at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Mount Vernon Road, Augusta. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Kennebec Valley Humane Society, Pet Haven Lane, Augusta, 04330 Arrangements are in the care of Knowlton & Hewins Funeral Home, 1 Church St., Augusta, 04330.