Helen Lowe

(From Parker Mortuary)

Helen Lowe, age 90, passed away on March 18, 2024 at her Texas senior living home in Plano. She moved to Texas in 2016 and lived with her daughter, Christi, until a fall created a broken leg. She kept her mind sharp, but her body didn’t recover to walk. A full breakfast, no lunch, but some ice cream, and a nap. She passed away exactly as she wanted, to just go to sleep and wake up in Heaven.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Bill Lowe, her parents, Elmer Veith and stepmom Flossie, Margaret Jardon, and her husband Red; her brother Larry Veith and his wife, Gloria, and her brother in laws, Bill Kimball, Bob Lowe, Dick Lowe. Sister-in-law Pat Patchin and her husband Ed; Her sweet niece Jessica Lowe.

She is survived by her daughter, Christi and husband, Jody; Jody’s children who called her Granny, Tommy and his wife Melissa, Carrie and her daughter Mycah. Her sister Jean Kimball, and brothers Jack Veith, Robert and his wife, Kathy Veith, her sister-in-law, JoAnn Lowe.

Thirteen Nieces and Nephews that were a vital part of her family all of her days, from Missouri to Pennsylvania, making a childhood for Christi as an only, full of life are a part of her family story. Her niece, Sherri, was the daughter she didn’t have and called her a second daughter. Their relationship was very special too.

Helen was born in a small town in southwest Missouri. Helen’s parents divorced when the girls were small, and she and her sister, along with the boys, grew up on the farm in the depression era. A one room schoolhouse for primary education. After high school graduation in 1952, she and Jean moved to Joplin.

A variety of jobs from a grocery store butcher to the telephone office, where she worked with her future sister-in-law, JoAnn. The story goes that Dick and JoAnn wanted Bill to stop being the third on their dates, so they fixed him up with Helen.

Helen and Jean both visited their mother in Arizona. Helen learned to drive from Red, and Jean found a husband, also named Bill. They married and moved to Pennsylvania, where she still lives today.

Helen and Bill got married in 1956 and started the process to adopt. The preference was for twins, but if no twins, then a baby girl. Christi arrived in 1961 and was picked up in St. Louis at the age of 22 days. The church family of Forest Park, Pastor Thurman Kelly, and supporting cast in the nursery were instrumental in this process.

Helen worked at The Joplin Globe and had to quit to be a stay at home mom for a year while they were on probation as parents. Home visits were drop ins, and inspection of cleanliness, reading material, and food supply was all on those visits. Sometimes they would stay for dinner to see how things were going.

Helen and Bill started their business, Bill Lowe Auto Service, around the time Christi was 3. Helen ran the business side of auto repair, while Bill worked the magic on the cars. After retirement and selling of the business, Helen went to work at Famous Barr in the credit office. After being told she had to work nights, she went back to the Joplin Globe until her final retirement at age 65.

After retirement her yard was her sanctuary for her as Bill was declining in health. She replanted more flowers to thrive in their environment multiple times. She told her friends she talked God out there in her yard. You didn’t have to go to church to pray. He would hear you wherever you were when you talked to him.

When her mobility slowed down, her therapy became jigsaw puzzles and word search books.

Moving to Texas was a big adventure, and it was hard to decide what to keep and what to leave behind. She was adamant that Christi and Jody could not change their schedule or interrupt their lives just because she lived with them, down the hall.

Her jigsaw puzzle skills were legendary, and she kept up to date with her soap opera and NASCAR racing.

Her routine was always church on Sunday, and then a puzzle while the race was on. Her most favorite of all time though, was Alan Jackson. She would tell the story over and over about the night she met Alan Jackson. Her 80th birthday Christi talked her way backstage for a meet and greet. There was nothing to top that experience for her until her entrance into heaven.

Her baptism in a creek as a profession of faith was a certain as night and day, for her fear of water was primary! We know she is in heaven with our Lord and will see her again. Helen and her family left nothing unsaid to convey love, kindness, and appreciation for living. May everyone reading this have the peace of that kind of relationship with those that are important to you!

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at Allen Family Funeral Services in Plano, TX from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Funeral service will be held on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. in Parker Mortuary Chapel with Dr. John Swadley officiating. Interment will follow at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery in Joplin.

The family will receive friends at Parker Mortuary on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until service time.