Evelyn W. Lowery

Evelyn Lowery, 88, passed away peacefully on December 16, 2024, surrounded by her family. She was born on April 28, 1936, in Midland, Texas, to G.D. and Laverne West and was the younger sibling of her beloved brother, Robert West.

 Evelyn’s childhood was shaped by the Great Depression and World War II. Her family moved to Memphis, where her father worked with DuPont to support the war effort by producing TNT. Later, they relocated to Richland, Washington, as part of the government project at the Hanford Nuclear Site, where her father contributed to plutonium production. Evelyn spent her formative years in Richland before leaving for college.

During her senior year of high school, Evelyn met Bobby Lowery, a young sergeant returned from Korea and active in her Church of Christ. Their shared faith and plans to attend Abilene Christian College deepened their bond, leading to their marriage in 1956.

 Evelyn and Bobby raised two sons, Kerry and Keith, and welcomed a foster son, Sid Keffer, into their family for several years. She was affectionately known as Nani to her six grandchildren—Joshua Lowery (wife Vanny), Kristi Belt (husband Taylor), Benjamin Lowery (wife Abby), Kara Lowery, Mary Lowery, and Anna Lowery—and eleven great-grandchildren: Ella, Abram, Carter, Norah, Lyla, Jackson, Joanna, Judah, Isaac, Josephine, and Isaiah.

 Faith and service were cornerstones of Evelyn’s life. In 1967, Evelyn and Bobby demonstrated their commitment to Christ by relocating to Newark, Delaware with other families to plant and grow a small church. Evelyn’s ministry included countless contributions, but she is perhaps best known for pioneering the cradle roll Bible class for infants in the early 1960s. With a close friend, she developed a transformative curriculum, presenting the concept at the Abilene Christian College Teachers’ Workshop in 1965. Evelyn went on to establish cradle roll classes at every church she served before moving to the Dallas area.

 Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bobby, and her granddaughter Mary. She is survived by her brother Robert, her sons and their wives—Kerry and Karla Lowery, Keith and Becca Lowery—five grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.

 The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Wylie Church of Christ for their love and care for our mother, exemplifying what James called “true religion” through their service to “widows and orphans”, and to Merit Hospice for their compassionate support in Evelyn’s final days.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 20, at Charles Smith and Sons Funeral Home in Sachse, Texas. Evelyn will be laid to rest beside Bobby in an 11 a.m. graveside service on Saturday, December 21, at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Corpus Christi, Texas.