LOWVILLE - Lawson M. Virkler, 88, of 7615 Easton Street, Lowville died on March 20, 2018 at the Lewis County Residential Care Facility where he had been a resident for a short time. Mr. Virkler, a life long resident of Lowville, was a retired funeral director.

Born December 5, 1929 in Watertown he was the son of Maurice N. and Florice Floyd Virkler. He graduated from Lowville Academy in 1948. Mr. Virkler attended Hobart College and graduated from the Cincinnati College of Embalming. Following graduation he enlisted in the United States Navy. At the time of his discharge in 1954 he was a Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class.

Following discharge from the Navy and upon the death of his father, Mr. Virkler became President of the Virkler Funeral Home, Inc., a firm that was originally founded by his father in 1926. Mr. Virkler held that position for 27 years until his retirement in 1981 at which time the business was sold. After retirement Mr. Virkler was an Assessor for the Town of Lowville from 1983 to 1993.

Mr. Virkler was a member of the Lowville Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder and as a Trustee. He also served as a board member for several organizations including the former Community Purchasing Corporation, Friends of Lewis County Hospice and the Constable Hall Association. He belonged to the Lowville Masonic Lodge #134 of F&AM, the Lowville Elks Lodge, the Lowville American Legion and the Lowville Kiwanis Club.

Mr. Virkler married Carol Brown on June 22, 1974 at the Lowville Presbyterian Church with the Rev. John K. Sharp officiating. He is survived by his wife Carol, a son Timothy L., his wife Mariko and their son William of Watertown; a sister Carolyn Brink of Ft. Myers Florida ; a nephew Ricard Brink of Hillsbourough , NJ and niece Diana Cassi of Ft. Collins , CO and a cousin, Gretchen Heinritz, of Appleton , WI .

He was an avid golfer and enjoyed boating on the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries as well as spending summers with his family at their camp on Brantingham Lake . He fondly enjoyed and remembered traveling together with his son along the Silk Road in China and Northern Pakistan in addition to visiting Japan , Hong Kong , Thailand , and Singapore . Mr. Virkler loved reading and history, a passion which was imparted on his son and grandson.