Obituary: Frank Lozar was the heart and soul of Minnesota Brass

These are good times for Minnesota Brass, the all-age drum and bugle corps that is enjoying robust membership and a long string of top 10 finishes at the Drum Corps Associates championships.

None of that would have happened without Frank Lozar, who joined the Brass in the early 1960s and played and marched with various groups for 58 years.

Lozar, of Blaine, served as the Brass' director from 1963 to 1969 and was instrumental in keeping the group afloat in the 1960s when membership dwindled and in the early 1980s when financial problems hit. The group rallied and went on to take the national title in 2011 and a runner-up finish last year in the Open Division.

"Without Frank, there would not have been a 2011," said Kurt Schiebel, a longtime Minnesota Brass member who performed with Lozar on many occasions. "He opened his wallet and credit card to keep us on the field. He was the heart and soul [of the group]."

Lozar, whose health had been declining in recent years, died Sept. 7. He was 85.

Known by his nickname "The Beard," he started his lifetime dedication to drum and bugle corps while playing his soprano horn with a group based out of American Legion Post No. 248 in his native Ely, Minn. He arrived in the Twin Cities after graduating from St. John's University in 1951. He later earned a master's degree in chemistry and biology from the University of Minnesota.

Lozar played with several ensembles in his early days, including the Hamm's Indians from 1955 to 1961 before he joined the Minnesota Brass in 1962. He also performed with the Zuhrah Shrine.

"He was our leader and very instrumental at keeping the group together," said Dick Maki, a former Minnesota Brass board member. "He was generous in those hard years. He was committed."

The Brass honored Lozar with its highest accolade, a Brassy, a lifetime achievement awarded in 1969. At age 70, he was recognized as the oldest competitor in both Drum Corps Midwest and Drum Corps Associates in 1998.

Three years later, he was inducted as an associate member of World Drum Corps Hall of Fame and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award and full Hall of Fame status in 2005.

Lozar retired in 2002, but his influence is still felt today. In his time, after competitive and social events, Lozar led members in a rendition of "For All We Know." That tradition continues today, Maki said.

Along with the signature toreador hat he wore, Lozar was "quite the character," Schiebel said. On long bus trips, Lozar led hours of singing while many members simply hummed along because they didn't know the words, he said.

Outside the drum corps, Lozar was "a competent analytic chemist" for more than 35 years at the University of Minnesota's Mineral Resources Research Center, said former colleague and professor emeritus Karl Smith. Lozar also served in the U.S. Army's Medical Corps during the Korean War.

Lozar is survived by two sons, Daniel and Joseph, both of the Twin Cities; a sister, Agnes Lozar, of Ely, and a companion of 22 years, Elaine Grovum, of Blaine.

Services have been held.