Eva Irene Lowry

Heaven welcomed its newest Angel, Eva Irene Lowry, on Friday May 12, 2023, at 8:25 a.m. Many knew her as “Toby," lovingly nicknamed by her big brother. She was joyfully welcomed into the world by her parents, Roy Charles Jewell and Bessie Mae Bybee Jewell on July 27, 1934.

Toby was preceded in death by her father; mother; brother, William Jewell; sister, Jaunita Jewell Lloyd; and her husband, Richard E. Lowry.

She attended grade school through high school in Fort Scott, where she met her best and lifelong friend, Helen Rosalee Coyan Rager, who married Darrell Rager, her husband Richard’s best friend. What fun it was to raise their kids across the street from one another.

At the tender age of 11, Toby saw a young man downtown and said, “Mom, I love his looks., I’m going to marry him!” Five years later on March 30, 1951, she married him! The love of her life, Richard E. Lowry.

After a brief time of living in Wichita and Kansas City, Kan., they settled in Fort Scott. Richard went to work for Beltone. A year later, in 1959, he and Toby started their own Hearing Aid business called Lowry Hearing Aid Service. Toby and Richard became Hearing Aid Specialists, helping people to hear better in southeast Kansas. They both were well-loved by their clients.

To sound more businesslike, Toby began using “Irene” after promising her beloved husband to take good care of his people upon his untimely passing on July 8, 1983. Irene took over the business by herself. She had a faithful and devoted attitude and work ethic in her business and personal life.

She loved to give whatever she did 100 percent, whether it was serving on the local school board, the Kansas Hearing Aid Society Board, the school PTA, her Church board at the 1st Church of The Nazarene where she was a member, who over the years served as Sunday School Teacher, Church Secretary, Church Treasurer, choir member, and VBS Director for nearly 20 years.

Irene loved to feed people! She received great joy by cooking for anyone hungry! For years she, along with her husband Richard, would make all the chili for the Annual Eugene Ware Elementary Chili Feed Fundraiser. The husband/wife duo were the creators of the tastiest chili in Fort Scott, Kan.

Irene was also voted as Fort Scott’s Business Woman of the Year. She faithfully drove to her Pittsburg, Kan., office four days a week come rain, sleet, snow or shine, until her retirement at 82, in 2017. Leaving her people in the capable hands of her son, Brian Lowry.

Their marriage was blessed with four children, who she is survived by: Debra J. Ediger of Topeka, Kan., Cathy A. More of Olathe, Kan., Brian K. Lowry of Fort Scott, Kan., and Brent D. Lowry of Yukon, Okla. She was also the proud Nannie of eight grandchildren who loved her to the moon and back! Grandchildren include Michelle Ediger Glaze, Brooke Ediger Larson, Caleb Bachman, Careah Bachman Pruter, Ryan Lowry, Amanda Lowry Sellers, Brayden Lowry, and Bryce Lowry. Plus 10 great-grandchildren who thought she hung the moon: Peyton and Rhyan Glaze, Blakely and Taygen Larson, Dawson and Landry Bachman, Noble, Willing, and Haven Pruter, and Adeline Sellers. All are angels, of course!

All of her accomplishments aside, Irene became a totally devoted follower of Jesus Christ in 1962. If she was here, she would give each of you what she gave to each of us — JESUS! She was the world's greatest daughter, sister, aunt, mother and wife.

When asked, if she would do anything over differently she said that she would have married Daddy at 11, because Daddy died so young. Although she had to wait five years to marry him, Daddy waited 40 years for her to join him in Heaven!

We are so happy shes no longer in pain, and we have no doubt that she is dancing on streets of gold with Jesus and Daddy.

At the end, without opening her eyes, Mama lifted up her head and smiled the most precious smile ever seen and said, “It’s so beautiful! My homecoming is so beautiful! Yes, Jesus! Yes, I Love You!”

WELL DONE! Eva Irene Lowry, My Good and Faithful Servant!

Truly Joy does come in the morning. It came on May 12, 2023, at 8:25 a.m., and escorted our Precious Mother from pain to peace into the Eternal Rest of our Loving Father, God. We will love you forever Mama and can’t wait to see you again! We will follow you all the way Home to Heaven!

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): "But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

The Rev. Virgil Peck will conduct funeral services at 10 a.m., Thursday, May 18, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene Youth Department and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701.

Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.