Lowell Fleischer, Foreign Service officer

Lowell Fleischer, 87, a Lewes resident since 2006, passed away peacefully at home with his family, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.

 

He was born March 15, 1937, to Ronald and Lucille Fleischer, in the small town of Salem in northeastern Ohio, Lowell was the oldest of four children. He began his long and esteemed academic career at Columbiana Elementary School, followed by Salem High School, where he earned a scholarship to Ohio Wesleyan University.  There, he was elected president of the student government and was an active member of his fraternity.  His love of learning continued when he earned a master’s degree and a PhD in international relations from University of Connecticut.

 

This love of diplomacy led to a long and distinguished career as a Foreign Service officer for the U.S. Department of State. His first international post was in Medellin, Colombia, from 1965-67. After being transferred back to Washington, D.C., he met his love and wife of more than 56 years, Arline Rudeski Fleischer, who had moved to D.C. from Wilkes-Barre, Pa. In Arline, he found an adventurous partner. Shortly after they married at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, where he was very active throughout his time in Washington, they moved to his next diplomatic post in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. There, his oldest of two children, Melissa Anne Fleischer, was born New Year’s Day 1970.  Lowell and his family next moved to Amherst, Mass., where he taught international affairs at University of Massachusetts.

 

Returning to the Washington, D.C. area, they bought a home in Arlington, Va., and in 1975, his youngest son, Michael Lowell Fleischer was born. Shortly after, the family moved to Belgrade, Yugoslavia, for nearly three years. In 1978, Lowell was on the front page of the New York Times after negotiating the release of an accused spy in Belgrade. His last international post was in Maracaibo, Venezuela, where he was consul general. 

 

Lowell ended his diplomatic career in 1987 after serving as an embassy inspector around the globe. Other positions include stints as U.S. representative to the Organization of American States and as part of the U.S. delegation to the Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty. Following his State Department career, he continued to work on international issues at the Council of the Americas, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where he wrote about trade, energy, and Latin American security issues.

 

In 1978, Lowell moved his family to Vienna, Va., the place he called home until moving to Lewes. As an active community member, he was president of the neighborhood civic association and head of the volunteers at a local voting precinct for years.  

 

After often visiting friends in Lewes, Lowell and Arline decided to retire in the Paynter’s Mill community. With civic activism in his blood, he soon became treasurer of the neighborhood association, a role he fulfilled for years.  He was also an active member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, where he was treasurer. He and Arline continued to travel regularly, including trips to Spain, Italy, Canada, and France.

 

Lowell was a well-loved member of the Lewes community. He is survived by his wife, Arline; daughter, Melissa; son, Michael and his wife Giovanna; his granddaughter, Begoña; as well as sisters, Carolyn (Gene Leiter), Diane Hartzell and Marsha Fleischer.

 

A service will be held in September. 

 

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Lewes.