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On May,
3, 2007, Queen Elizabeth II of England was in Jamestown, Virginia
helping to commemorate the 400th anniversary what many news reports
incorrectly called the first English settlement in America. Actually,
the first English settlement in America occurred over twenty years
earlier at Roanoke Island in northeastern North Carolina. After a failed
attempt to colonize in 1584, another group of settlers returned to
Roanoke Island in 1587.
After a homestead had been built, the Governor of the Roanoke Colony,
John White, had to return to England for supplies for the 117 settlers
he left behind. War was simmering with Spain, and his return was delayed
until 1590. Upon his return the settlers had left two signs of their
destination: “Croatan” was carved on a gate to Fort Raleigh and “CRO”
was carved on a tree. The settlers had disappeared; presumably some went
to live amongst the Croatan tribe of Native Americans, as the agreed
upon sign of danger - a Maltese cross - was no where to be found.
Over 100 years later, in the early to mid 1700’s, English and Scot
settlers began to swarm into southeastern North Carolina and
northeastern South Carolina, coming up the Cape Fear and Pee Dee Rivers.
As the settlers moved eastward from the coast and southward from
Campbell Town (now Fayetteville) they surrounded a tribe of Native
Americans in what is now Robeson County; a land of rich farm soil, mild
winters, and abundant water.
This tribe spoke brilliant “King’s English,” had the surnames of 41 of
the 117 Roanoke settlers, and some – as Jerry Lowry – had blue eyes.
300 years after the failed or “Lost Colony,” the State of North Carolina
established the Croatan Normal School in Pembroke, North Carolina to
provide education to the natives of Robeson County. Today, the school is
known as the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
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It
was this heritage that helped define Jerry Lowry.
Born October 31, 1948 to the Rev. Harvey and Myrtle Locklear
Lowry, Jerry was the youngest of their four sons.
Raised on a farm between
Rowland and Pembroke, they were taught the love of God,
family, and taught the perseverance of hard work.
Jerry
went on to graduate from the University of North Carolina at
Pembroke in only 3 years with a B. A. in Spanish in 1970.
That same year he married his high school sweetheart, Doreen,
established the first elementary school foreign language department
in
North Carolina, and joined the
North Carolina
National Guard. Needless to say, Jerry’s
unique ability to juggle multi-tasking and do it well served him
well in life. He soon went to work with the US
Department of Agriculture, and later bought his parent’s small
grocery and small engine sales and repair business in nearby
Maxton. It was there, at Lowry’s Chain
Saw shop, in 1976 that we first met. |
At the time I was Explorer
Advisor of Explorer Post 447 at the First United Methodist Church in
nearby
Laurinburg. Canoeing, camping, and
backpacking along with appreciation and protection of our environment
were the goals for our coed group of high school students.
To raise funds for our adventures we planned to cut and deliver
select firewood. The two Poulan chain saws we bought
from Jerry along with his trusty and frequent maintenance on them
insured that we not only funded our activities, but had enough funds to
honor a selected Explorer with a college scholarship.
Jerry was a personable and
intelligent man. Behind the counter of his store and hanging on the wall
was a portrait of Christ Jesus. Departing from his store, he would
always tell a customer: “Thank you and God bless.”
| After two robberies, Jerry
closed his shop in 1980 and entered Duke Divinity School, graduating
with honors in 1985. While in Divinity School and afterwards, he
preached in several Native American churches, even founding West
Robeson United Methodist Church with sixty members. In 1993, he was
called to serve Seaside United Methodist Church in Sunset Beach, a
predominately white church with 200 members. When he left in 2000 to
serve the First United Methodist Church in Laurinburg, the
membership at Seaside had grown to almost 1,000. Besides serving his
church, Jerry also found time to serve on the Board of Trustees at
three colleges and Chairman of the Board of Trustees and UNC-P.
Before he arrived in Laurinburg,
our paths crossed once more. We were serving a family of a former
member of Seaside, and Jerry came to Laurinburg to officiate the
memorial service. It was a delightful reunion, as we caught up on
the past twenty years. |
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Jerry’s arrival in Laurinburg was
more than a coincidence. His training, intellect, and spirituality
proved to be the medicine I needed during a major crisis in my personal
life. Jerry was never about condemning, only about love and concern for
others. He often said, “Wherever there is a hell we must bring heaven to
it, for we are part of the Kingdom of love and salvation (deliverance)
not destruction and condemnation. We are called to usher in a Kingdom of
Love.” In one visit with him he stated: “Funeral service is not your
business; it is your ministry. You have an open mind, communicate well,
and serve with your heart.”
Jerry was a unique “preacher.” He wrote his sermons on small pieces of
paper, read over them three times, and then faultlessly delivered moving
sermons while moving about freely near the pulpit, but never hiding
behind it. Along with his wife, Doreen, other family members and
friends, we were often ministered with the most beautiful and spiritual
music.
In 2003, Jerry was promoted to be the District Superintendent of the
Sanford District of the United Methodist Church near the center of North
Carolina. His departure was heart breaking, but we kept in touch. In
addition to his regular administrative duties, Jerry continued to write
a sermon every week and most times delivered them in various churches.
Cancer is a word that strikes fear
in even the bravest soul. It was early 2006 when Jerry was diagnosed
with thyroid cancer and underwent surgery. His faith never wavered, nor
did his positive attitude falter.
Chemo and radiation came next. Despite the pain and anguish, Jerry kept
smiling. On a visit in February, 2007, Jerry knew his fate.
“I’ve told Doreen to call you when my time comes and she won’t have to
worry about anything.”
It was at this time that I remembered that God never answered “why” for
his servant Job, so that was not a fair question. Accepting Jerry’s fate
would come from faith, keeping his days free of pain would come from
hope, and lifting him up in praise would come from love. I took Jerry’s
hands; and for the first time led him in a prayer.
I returned to visit the following month, and Jerry shared some basic
details of his memorial services. Because of his weakness, our visit was
only 15 minutes.
In April, Jerry called and asked for my wife, Lynn, and myself to come
up and with Doreen present; we will organize his memorial service. Once
more we departed as I led in prayer that “Thy, not my will be done.”
At home was some long leaf pine boards that had been harvested when a
home built in 1790 had been torn down years ago. The wood would have
been growing in our area when his ancestors were the only ones in the
area. What more could be more suitable for his urn? Fourteen symbols
taken from the Holy Bible that describe Christ Jesus were engraved on
the sides of the urn, and a fifteenth symbol - a rock - was attached to
one side. Pictures were sent to Jerry and Doreen for their approval.
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On the evening of Friday, May 4,
2007 Jerry’s family gathered around his bed and began to serenade him
with their beautiful music. Shortly after 6:30 he finished his course in
faith.
As we arrived at the home about nine o’clock, it would have been easy to
imagine that we had stepped into heaven. Everyone was still singing some
of the most beautiful hymns and spiritual music. With a voice that can
barely carry a tune, I felt compelled to join in. All was well until I
was able to get close enough to the bed to see Jerry. Fortunately, the
Rev. David Wade was there to comfort me.
Jerry’s earthen vessel was taken the sixty mile trip to Laurinburg.
Saturday morning Jerry’s family drove the 80 miles to the University of
North Carolina at Pembroke. Prior to graduation, Jerry was awarded an
Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University. Returning to
Sanford on Saturday, Doreen, her daughters, Ana and Elena, and I closed
the door and sat in the living room to finalize the service details and
the obituary. The three Lowry ladies proved to be a formidable committee
of three: Discussing every detail until an agreement was reached.
Sunday afternoon, Jerry’s extended family came to Laurinburg for their
time of viewing at the funeral home. Dressed in his suit, sporting a
Duke University tie, Jerry’s body showed none of the suffering of the
previous months. It was indeed a comfort for everyone.
Following their visit, his body was cremated and placed in the pine urn.
Early Monday morning, Thomas Locklear and I left with two limousines for
the Lowry residence and Kelvin Cooper and Lynn left for St. Luke United
Methodist Church to prepare for the 11 a.m. service. As I had done in my
previous visits with Jerry, I lead a short prayer with his family.
In my limousine were Doreen, Ana, Elena; Jerry’s brother, Harvey;
Harvey’s wife, Linda; and their daughter, Jamie. A few minutes from the
church they began to sing in a most beautiful harmony.
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Jerry’s memorial
services: 11 a.m. at St. Luke United Methodist Church in Sanford and
6 p.m. at Prospect United Methodist Church between Maxton and
Pembroke were appropriately named by him as “A Service of Life,
Death, and Resurrection.” Placed on the altar table with his clergy
stole surrounding was Jerry’s urn. The entire services were
uplifting with ministers participating that were White, Black,
Native American, Korean, men and women. His wife and two daughters
even sang a lively spiritual for the service.
Following the St. Luke service between five and six hundred people
greeted the family in a room near the sanctuary. A wonderful meal of
barbecue, fried chicken, and vegetables followed in the church
fellowship hall. |
Before long it was time to begin
the hour and a half drive to Prospect. About 15 miles from Prospect, the
Lowry family once more began to sing. I’ve always thought that in “O
Brother, Where Art Thou” Alison Kraus sang the most spiritual version of
“I’ll Fly Away.” She couldn’t hold a candle to the Lowrys. Tears of joy
filled my eyes as the perfect, beautiful harmony of the Lowrys filled
the limousine. “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” followed and two more
songs, before we arrived (too soon for this music lover) at Prospect
United Methodist Church.
After a short rest in the fellowship hall, it was time for the 6 o’clock
memorial service to begin.
Another five to six hundred people
crowded into the predominately Native American Prospect United Methodist
Church in Robeson County to witness the evening service. The format was
the same as the earlier service with the exception of one minister, and
a service involving a cremated body is as rare among Native Americans as
collard sandwiches are to Yankees. Truthfully, the service was more
spiritual in its planned format.
As in the previous service, Bishop Al Gwinn let Jerry’s writings tell
most of his story. In an earlier meeting of his cabinet of District
Superintendents, Jerry had written them eight pages of spiritual
challenges, and they were read as if Jerry were speaking to us. The
minister at Prospect, the Rev. Herbert Lowry, entered the ministry under
Jerry’s guidance, and humored the congregation by giving surreal
demonstrations of Jerry’s mannerism and voice.
Once more Doreen, Ana, and Elena placed roses by Jerry’s urn and
serenaded everyone with a spiritual hymn. A final congregational hymn,
“When We All Get to Heaven” followed and then the benediction.
Once more in the church fellowship hall, the Lowry family received
friends as they filed by. Visible on one wall were a projected
presentation of photos detailing Jerry’s life.
As nine o’clock neared, the family was able to depart. We drove over to
Laurinburg and enjoyed a meal at Arby’s before departing for Sanford.
Once more, the Lowry family sang . . . for the full hour it took to get
back to their home. Once more, the music made the time pass quickly, as
we arrived back in Sanford by 11:30 p.m.
Grief has never been made clearer than upon Jerry’s death. We grieve,
not for him, but for ourselves. As a faithful Christian who is prone to
failure as nearly everyone else, I know that Jerry has obtained the
ultimate goal, but we grieve because we have lost him, we will miss his
presence, and we will miss his love and guidance. Jerry truly left the
world a better place for those fortunate enough to have known him. The
greatest tribute to him would be to share what he gave us with others.
“Wherever there is a hell on earth we must bring . . . Love.” |
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