Los Angeles County
Biographies
WALTER
FRANCIS LOWREY
A
strong advocate of home rule and good city government, Walter Francis Lowrey is
one of those who gave the greatest impetus to the drive for the incorporation
of Rosemead, acting as chairman of the committee for incorporation in 1957, and
vice chairman in 1959. He was elected to
Rosemead’s first city council in 1959, also serving as first mayor pro tem, and
is a candidate for re-election to city council in April of 1962, saying, “The
City of Rosemead has made great strides since its incorporation in 1959, and I
am proud to have been a part of it.” A
Rosemead resident for the past fourteen years, Mr. Lowrey is employed by the
California State Employees’ Association, serving as its representative for the
southern area, from Paso Robles to El Centro.
He was one of the five people given an award for outstanding service by
public employees in Los Angeles in 1960, the first year the award was given.
In
Denver, Colorado, on March 4, 1911, Walter Francis Lowrey was born to Robert
James and Sarah Ann (Cody) Lowrey. His
father was a native of Madison, Wisconsin, who came to Los Angeles with Walter
in 1930, and passed away in 1953, spending his last five years in
Rosemead. His mother, related to
“Buffalo Bill” Cody, died in 1926.
Walter Lowrey has three brothers.
He attended elementary school outside Denver, and two years of high
school, continuing his education through night school classes and ranking in
the upper one fourth of his class in recent examinations.
In
1942 Mr. Lowrey became employed by the State of California in its Department of
Education, California Industries for the Blind, advancing to storekeeper. In 1960 he became the legislative
representative of the California State Employees’ Association, assuming the
position of Southern California area representative in April of 1961. Prior to 1942 he had been employed by the
Coulter Dry Goods Company, one of the oldest firms of its type in Los Angeles,
for nine years.
A
former member of the State Employees’ Association, Mr. Lowrey is a past
president of its Chapter 4 in Los Angeles, at that time the second largest
chapter in the state. He is a member of
the metropolitan area Veterans Employment Committee of the State Department of
Employment and is a member of Legislative Advocates. He is a member of the Rosemead Chamber of
Commerce, serving at its president for three years, 1956-1958. In 1959 he was given the Rosemead Citizen of
the Year Award by the American Legion. A
director of the Rosemead Lions Club, Mr. Lowrey is also a member and past
commander of American Legion Post Number 547, and is identified with Rosemead
Moose Lodge Number 632 and El Monte Elks Lodge Number 1739. He belongs to the International Footprint Association,
peace officers, is a member of the West San Gabriel Library Council, and
belongs to the Circle of Hope Auxiliary of the City of Hope. Mr. Lowrey was a worker for the Democratic
Party in Los Angeles and is a member of the Rosemead Savannah Democratic Club. His religious affiliation is with Nativity
Catholic Church in El Monte. Also in Los
Angeles, in 1942, Mr. Lowrey was a civil defense community warden in charge of
approximately fifteen hundred fire watchers and wardens, being given an award
by President Roosevelt for outstanding work.
In
Eagle Rock, California, on June 22, 1935, Walter F. Lowrey was married to the
former Miss Mary Lou Little of Rogers, Arkansas. Mrs. Lowrey is a member of the Rosemead
Women’s Club and the Rosemead Democratic Club. She is on the beautification committee for
the City of Rosemead and writes the beautification column in the Rosemead
Review. She is also a member of the
Friends of the Library and belongs to the Circle of Hope for the City of Hope.
Mr.
Lowrey raised his nephew, Marvin Howard Lowrey of Rosemead. When Marvin was eighteen he and Mr. Lowrey
went into the service together in April of 1943, Mr. Lowrey serving as a staff
sergeant, completing his tour of duty in March of 1946.
Formerly
an active bowler, Mr. Lowrey’s civic duties have
provided his outside interest in recent years.
Transcribed
by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Historical Volume &
Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel &
Temple City, by Robert P. Studer, Pages 427-428,
Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California.
1962.
© 2012 V.
Gerald Iaquinta.
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BIOGRAPHIES