Robert "Bobby" Lowich was born on August 25, 1936 at The Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital in Jersey City, New Jersey to Polish immigrants, Ruth and Milton Lowich. Known to his family as Obish, he spent most of his life living in East New York and was a colorful character who prided himself on being able to have a conversation with anyone who crossed his path. Bobby served in the United States Army from 1955-1956 and was a member of the 85 ^th Infantry Regiment, 1 ^st Platoon Medical Company in Bamberg, Germany. Upon his return home, he found his true passion being a "hack" as a New York City cab driver for the rest of his life.

In a New York Times article published January 6, 2002,  he was described as a man "who talks like a film noir gumshoe, Mr. Lowich began his love affair with cabs when he was a child… yearning for adventure. 'It seemed so romantic,' he said in his gruff Brooklynese. 'When that back door opened, you never knew who would step in and where you would go.'" He had a personality that would draw people in, being featured countless times in respected publications such as the New Yorker, Daily News, The New York Times, TV specials, a nationally televised 9/11 fundraiser and even a Japanese film documentary on the history of cabs. He had a running list of celebrities that he picked up over the years and would quickly tell you who was a gentleman or a scoundrel to the ordinary man. Bobby was an early crusader of equal rights and racial equality who received several commendations for crime stopping or assisting victims including one presented at City Hall by Mayor Wagner. In a Daily News article published on August 5, 1990, writer Mike McAlary is quoted as saying "In a city where there is not enough being done to make us feel better about each other, Bob Lowich has made his stand against racism." In the same article, Bobby is quoted as saying, "There are great rewards in fighting smallness."

Bobby spent many years of his life writing and revising his great opus, "The Checker –Now That Was a Cab" a book of historical information about the rise and fall of the Checker cab and the early formation of the NYTLC, New York Taxi and Limousine Commission. His only daughter and granddaughter helped with many revisions throughout the years but the book was never completed and published despite many tries.

Bobby is survived by his children Heidi and her husband Sean Pech, Paul Lowich and his wife Robin Longo, William Lowich; his grandchildren Angela and her husband Matthew Sielski, Richard Merckling, Frank and David Gravagna; and his great-grandchild Nathan Sielski.  He is preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and Milton Lowich; his brother Morton Lowich; his sister Brenda Fruchtman; and his former wife Elisa Britos.

Robert "Bobby" Lowich died peacefully surrounded by family on Monday, May 14, 2018 in South Amboy, New Jersey.

Funeral services will be held 11:30 AM, on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at Flynn and Son Funeral Home, 23 Ford Ave., Fords. Interment will follow at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, New Jersey.