Another one of the founding fathers of the Automobile City has passed away. Herman Loewen died Tuesday at the age of 93.

Loewen Chev was founded by his father in 1923. He took over the dealership some years later and moved it to where Harvest Honda is currently located and operated it there until 1981 when A.D. Penner became the local GM dealer and relocated to the corner of Main Street

Herman Loewen and his wife at his 86th birthday party in 2011. and Highway #12.

Jim Neustaedter, a former owner of Steinbach Dodge, recalls Herman Loewen was a wonderful person and Loewen Chev was a good operation.

"They had a very good reputation and Herman was a very congenial type of person. I knew him at that time for quite a few years. He was very involved in promoting Steinbach and promoting the car industry and so on."

Neustaedter adds Loewen was also president of the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association for a period of time in the 1970's. He reiterates Loewen was a great representative and promoter of Steinbach, making sure the auto dealers stuck together.

"He was very dependable. He always worked together as a unit. At that time, the dealers were very close and did a tremendous job of working together and he was one of them that promoted that."

Funeral arrangements for Herman Loewen are pending.