Olivia King Lowry

Mrs. Olivia King Lowry, 95, resident of West Ninth Street, died Thursday, April 13, 2006 at Maury Regional Hospital. Graveside services will be conducted Monday at 11:00 a.m. at Zion Presbyterian Churchyard with Rev. Arch Warren officiating. The family will visit with friends Monday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the parlor at Zion Presbyterian Church. Memorials may be made to Zion Presbyterian Church, 2322 Zion Road, Columbia 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to www.oakesandnichols.com. The Maury County native was the daughter of the late Meredith Smith King and Zeldula Loftin King. She was a 1929 graduate of Columbia Central High School and attended the Columbia Institute. While growing up in Columbia, Mrs. Lowry was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. She graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and later worked at Vanderbilt University Hospital as a registered nurse. While a student at Vanderbilt she met North Carolina native, Dr. Earl C. Lowry. They were married May 23, 1936. During World War II, Mrs. Lowry was very active in the work of the American Red Cross. As a military wife, Mrs. Lowry resided in Pennsylvania, Georgia, the Panama Canal Zone, California and Washington DC. For a number of years the Lowrys made their home in Des Moines, Iowa where Dr. Lowry served as President of Blue Cross Blue Shield. They were long-time members of Wakonda Country Club. Mrs. Lowry was an active and award-winning member of the Des Moines Garden Club. Throughout their marriage, the couple spent summer months in Columbia and often returned to visit in Dr. Lowry's hometown of Pembroke, North Carolina. Dr. Lowry preceded her in death on March 28, 2002. Survivors include two daughters, Anne Sistrunk of Columbia and Rose Odom of San Diego, California; a sister, Emily King Davis of Nashville; five grandchildren, Earl Lowry Sistrunk, Rosanne Ford, Megan Rose Sistrunk, Wesley Earl Odom and Donald Tod Sistrunk; four great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. Active pallbearers are Earl Lowry Sistrunk, Donald Tod Sistrunk, Megan Rose Sistrunk, Wesley Earl Odom, Maynard Ed Howell, Meredith Harper and Robert Allen. Honorary pallbearers include special caretakers, Barbara Barrier, Marilyn Holcomb, Helen Aldridge, Alene Armstrong, Jane Love, Sandy Turrentine, the staff of The Bridge, Maynard Howell, , Hal Morgan, Cathy Dice, Dr. Shawn Reed, Shannon Oman and Brent Battershell.