MDS celebrates life and legacy of Lowell Detweiler

Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) is mourning the eternal homecoming and celebrating the life and legacy of Lowell Detweiler, who died on March 1, 2025.

He was an influential and beloved member of the MDS community of leaders. His career spanned decades of service with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and MDS. Detweiler served as director of MDS from 1986 to 1998.

MDS U.S. Executive Director Kevin King fondly remembered his first encounter with Detweiler. “After my wife, Karen, and I returned from volunteering in Jamaica with MCC from 1987 to 1991, my first administrative job was working in an office at MCC in Akron, Pennsylvania.”

Detweiler was one of King’s three bosses in 1992 as part of a team  called “Constituency Ministries.”

Detweiler was not only a boss to King but someone he looked up to as a spiritual and life coach. “His late wife, Ruth, was also a dear friend of my wife, Karen, as well,” said King. “There were simple things that impressed me for a lifetime…his desktop was always neat. Straight rows of paper with paper clips neatly fastened on the top left counter. Neat handwriting. A steady hand and voice leading a meeting or a conference call.”

A plumb line

Decades before he entered MCC and MDS leadership work, Detweiler worked as a block layer.

“Block layers use a plumb line,” said King. “And I truly believe Lowell had an internal plumb line to serve his neighbors near and far.”

No matter where Detweiler served, he built community resilience on Christ’s solid foundation. “His impact reached far beyond his neat desktop,” said King.

Part of Detweiler’s legacy is authoring the beloved book, “The Hammer Rings Hope: Photos and Stories from Fifty Years of Mennonite Disaster Service,” published in June 2000 for the 50th anniversary of MDS.

King also remembered how encouraging Detweiler was as a mentor. “In 2003, Tom Smucker, then Executive Coordinator for MDS, suggested over a breakfast meeting that I apply for his role, as he was soon retiring,” recalled King. “Karen and I went to Lowell and Ruth’s house for advice.”

In the Detweiler’s basement, the Kings poured out their hearts. “Should and could I do this role?” recalled King. “I felt so small. And if i said yes, I would be standing on the shoulders of giants.”

The Detweilers assured their full support—and King and all of MDS remain grateful to this day.

“I am grateful for Lowell’s life here on earth as I extend my sympathy to the family,” said King.