Longtime partner, Lloyd W. Lowrey, passed away unexpectedly on December 28, 2018, having been a part of the Noland Hamerly professional family for more than 40 years.
Lloyd displayed the highest ethical standards. He was a master of the law, handling complex transactions and advising businesses and individuals on not only the correct procedure and the legal obligations, but also the “right thing to do”.
Lloyd grew up on his family ranch in the small town of Rumsey in the Central Valley north of Sacramento. Following his undergraduate work at UC Davis (B.S. 1968), Lloyd graduated from Stanford Law School (J.D. 1971). While working at Stanford, Lloyd met then Noland Hamerly attorney, Peter Hoss, who knew immediately that Lloyd would be a tremendous addition to Noland Hamerly, and soon thereafter, Lloyd joined the firm as an associate in the mid 70’s. He was made a partner in the firm several years later, and was a critical part of the firm’s growth and development.
He was grounded in the wisdom of the land, and held the values of a simpler time and place, when a person’s word was his bond, and trusting relationships made it easy to do business and to practice law. Lloyd made his mark as a well-respected water lawyer, representing farmers and ranchers, as well as public agencies, churches, nonprofit organizations and individuals in need. He was general counsel to various private companies, public agencies and nonprofit organizations. He has served as Chair of the Salinas Valley Water Advisory Commission. He was a member of the Monterey County Farm Bureau.
Besides being a superb lawyer, the true hallmark of Lloyd, and what made him such a special person, was his sincere and dedicated public service. With his remarkable personal commitment to the common good, he contributed his time, talents, and treasure to many nonprofits throughout the Monterey Bay region.
Lloyd was active in the Salinas, Gilroy and Corral de Tierra Rotary Clubs; past President and Board member of the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce – named “Member of the Year” in 1991 and “Citizen of the Year” in 1996, in addition to numerous other civic organizations.
Deeply spiritual, and grounded in faith, he was an active member of Church of the Good Shepherd in Corral de Tierra. Lloyd exemplified the humble servant, whose core beliefs were reflected in his life, his work, his family and his relationships throughout the region.
Noland Hamerly cherished Lloyd and will sorely miss his kindness, caring, and example of how the best members of a group can make a difference in tone, in relationships, and carry that example throughout an entire organization. Lloyd leaves a legacy of his exemplary lawyering and client care, and even more so, his caring and honesty and high ethical standards. Those impacts will guide us for many years to come.