Billy Booth Lowrey

Billy Booth Lowrey, (80), of Sheridan, Arkansas, passed away on Thursday, March 8, 2018. Born on January 21, 1938, to Stovall and Jane Allen Lowrey (deceased), he is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Patricia Springer Lowrey, his sons, Jeremy (Jennifer) of Sheridan, and Seth (Lisa) of Lebanon, Tennessee; grandchildren Madeleine Blakely (Ben) of Jackson, Mississippi; Brennan Lowrey of Sheridan; Keelan, Kylei, Keedance, Kambryn, and Kohmin Lowrey of Lebanon, Tennessee, and step-great-granddaughter, Adrienne Blakely of Clinton, Mississippi. Also surviving him are his siblings, Mary Kate Dennis (Warren) of Winston Salem, North Carolina, Robert Lowrey (Patricia) of Maryville, Tennessee, Rebecca Cramer (Owen) of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and many nieces and nephews. Bill grew up in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mississippi in 1960. While there, he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and the US Navy ROTC. After graduation, he was commissioned in the Navy, completed Civil Engineer Corps School, married his sweetheart, and spent the next four years in Hawaii where he served at the Naval Ammunition Depot and the Naval Radio Station at Lualualei, Oahu. Upon his honorable discharge as a 1st Lieutenant, he and Pat moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where he earned a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas. His long career in engineering included working with firms Blaylock, Threet & Associates, ICE, and Batson Bravo Engineers in Little Rock, as well as founding and running Lowrey Engineering in Sheridan. He was a life member of ASHRAE and in his later years had a passion for mentoring young engineers. Bill accepted Jesus as his Savior while in Hawaii and was baptized in the Pacific Ocean. Of all the things he did and who he was professionally, his identity as a follower of Christ was first in his heart. He was a member and elder at Centerlane Church in Sheridan. Bill taught Sunday School and Bible Studies, served as a deacon, and used his musical talents to lead worship and to sing in choirs and quartets in churches he was a part of. A skilled amateur photographer, Bill could capture the beauty of the tiniest flowers in the yard or a perfect, carefree expression on the face of a grandchild. He spent many hours woodworking in his shop, and dreamed of building wooden boats in his retirement. He and Pat loved to fish together. Bill could always be counted on to listen and offer wise advice with kindness and respect. In addition to his own family, he was "Granddaddy" to the young people who come to their home every Monday night for Bible Study. A service celebrating his life and the hope he had in Jesus will be held Sunday, March 11, 2018 at 2 p.m., at Memorial Gardens Funeral Home with visitation Saturday at the funeral home from 5-7 p.m. The family extends its heartfelt thanks to Baptist Hospice and to caregivers Melissa Christian, Rheta Lemons, and Justin Plummer who came alongside us and made it possible for Bill to remain in the home he knew and loved until the end. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to: Dreams and Wishes of Tennessee (P.O. Box 8383, Hermitage Tenn. 37076 or www.dreamsandwishesoftn.org), charity:water (40 Worth Street, Suite 300, New York, N.Y. 10013 or www.charitywater.org/donate, or the Grant County Museum (521 Shackleford Rd, Sheridan, Ark. 72150 or www.grantcountymuseumar.com). Arrangements by Memorial Gardens Funeral Home of Sheridan (870) 942-1306. An online guestbook is available at www.memorialgardenssheridan.com.