James (Jim) Thomas Lowe, 88, of Parkersburg, passed away Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at his home. Services at Kistler-Patterson Funeral Home with burial at Oak Hill Cemetery, Parkersburg with Military Rites.

Jim was born on March 1, 1928, during the Great Depression in Woodbury, Tennessee, the son of George Earl Lowe and Cora Louella Saddler. Jim was a Korean War Veteran and spent the majority of his life as a public school teacher and farmer. Jim also spent many years in home construction and repair.

The surviving family members include his wife Jeanette May Lowe at home, five sons - Michael Leon Lowe (Rhonda) of Calhoun, Illinois, Bruce Randall Lowe of Kokomo, Indiana, Paul Richard Lowe (Kim) of Topeka, Kansas, Reverend Christopher Ray Hortin (Sue) of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and Phillip Grant Hortin of Parkersburg, Illinois; three daughters - Cynthia Ann Ellison (Jay) of Saint Elmo, Illinois, Jo Anne Waggoner (Dave) of Olney, Illinois, and Jill Ellen Rose of Olney, Illinois. James and Jeanette have nine grandsons, eleven granddaughters, and thirteen great grandchildren.

After elementary and high school, Jim volunteered for military service at the age of 18. After two tours of duties at military bases state-side, he was assigned to the 13th Combat Engineer Battalion, 7th Infantry Division and shipped out to the Far East. After three years in Korea, he was returned to the United States and discharged.

Jim attended Middle Tennessee State University and graduated with a B.S. Degree in Science and Secondary Administration in 1952. Prior to graduation he met and married his first wife Norma Haynes. They moved to West Tennessee, where Jim taught high school for two years. They then moved to Illinois where Jim taught grade school in Paris, Illinois and enrolled in the Master's program at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Jim moved his family from Paris to Olney in 1955 and then to a farm in rural Parkersburg in 1963. Jim was employed as Principal and Coach and taught 7th and 8th grade at the Parkersburg Grade School from 1955 until it closed for consolidation. He spent 34 years teaching in the Parkersburg and Olney area.
Studying and teaching was a life-long pursuit of Jim's and he proclaimed the most enjoyable part of his life. Jim was extremely proud of having taught multiple generations of individuals of local families. In Jim's mind, there was a lesson to be taught and information to be passed on in every conversation.

Jim had an intense love of family and thoroughly enjoyed the blessings associated with having a large blended family spread across several states.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Millie Lowe; two wives, Norma Jean Haynes and Rita Smith Ballard; and one grandson, Brian Lowe.

Kistler-Patterson Funeral Home obituary