Lowell John Genzlinger was born on January 15, 1944 to Harry and Ruth Genzlinger. He was raised on a farm along with his older brother Vern, near Lucas, South Dakota and graduated from Burke High School in 1962. In 1966, he graduated from South Dakota State University with a civil engineering degree, and then joined the Coast and Geodetic Survey commissioned officer corps, which later became the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA). Lowell's early assignments included shipboard duty conducting hydrographic surveys and oceanography in the Pacific and Alaska. It was the beginning of an extraordinary career.

While based in Seattle on a NOAA assignment, he met Sharon Pohl, and they married in August 1968. Shortly after their marriage, Lowell was assigned for two years on a satellite tracking station in Africa and the Indian Ocean, which took the newlyweds to the African nations of Chad and Ethiopia, and the island nations of Maritius and the Seychelles.

In 1970, he attended Army Fixed Wing training at Ft. Rucker, Alabama and graduated top of his class. On Halloween in 1970, Lowell and Sharon welcomed their daughter, Stacey. For 5 years, Lowell flew aerial mapping photography throughout the US, Alaska, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Next was two years at Naval Oceanographic Research Squadron at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland, flying worldwide NOAA missions in the P-3 Orion aircraft. In 1977, Lowell reported to the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center in Miami, FL. During his tour, he flew P-3 hurricane research and reconnaissance missions during 13 hurricane seasons. In 1987, he was promoted to Captain, and was named NOAA Chief of Flight Operations, managing 14 aircraft and 30 pilots and navigators.

Genzlinger made 254 penetrations into the eyes of hurricanes. During Hurricane Hugo in September 1989, he experienced a harrowing hurricane mission. He piloted the P-3 with a crew of 18 into the eye of Hugo, and the aircraft experienced extreme turbulence when a freak event occurred. The plane hit a vortex in the eyewall, where winds reached 200 mph. The turbulence caused an engine to catch fire. The engine was shut down, the crew descended to an altitude of just 800 ft, and dumped fuel. The crew spent an hour in the eye, flying tight circles and spiraling upward. After reaching 10,000 ft, the plane left the eye and returned 300 miles to Barbados on three engines. It was the worst turbulence a P-3 ever encountered. During off-hurricane seasons, Lowell flew research projects including Arctic storms in Norway and Greenland, tropical cyclones in Australia, monsoons in India, and Alpine studies in Europe.

He retired from NOAA in 1989, and became a research pilot for the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, CO. In 1990, Lowell married Alice Collins, and they made their home in Boulder. In 1991, following the Persian Gulf War, he piloted a research aircraft flying into the smoke from the oil well fires in Kuwait to survey the impact on the atmosphere.

Lowell retired from flying in 2008. During his 38 years of flying for NOAA and NCAR, Lowell logged 10,000 hours in the Lockheed P-3 and C-130 and the Gulfstream G-5. He traveled to 80 countries and territories. Lowell never met a stranger or forgot a face. He had an uncanny ability, that wherever he went, he always found someone he knew or had a connection with. And no matter how far away in the world he traveled, Lowell's heart was always at his home in Burke, South Dakota.

Lowell was preceded in death by his parents Harry and Ruth, and his brother Vern. He is survived by his wife Alice of Boulder, CO, his daughter Stacey and her mother Sharon of Olympia, WA, nephews, a niece, and lifelong friends who have become family.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial gift to honor Lowell's lifelong love of animals. Donations can be made to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, where he volunteered as a transporter (cpw.state.co.us), or Longmont Humane Society (longmonthumane.org).

Graveside services for Lowell Genzlinger, age 80, of Colorado and formerly of Burke, SD will be held on Friday, October 25, 2024 at 2:00 PM at Graceland Cemetery in Burke, SD.  There will be a visitation from 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM at Clausen Funeral Home in Burke prior to the graveside service.