For 97 years, Joyce Annett Lowrey Chesnut lived a life of love, grace, beauty, compassion and elegance. She was born to Tosie and W.W. Lowrey, one to the founders of the city of Poteau, Jan. 2, 1912. She passed away Tuesday, June 2, 2009 and was buried June 3 at Oakland Cemetery in Poteau. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Wiley Lowrey Jr.; and countless friends. She is survived by a daughter, Joyce Breyman Creswell of Tulsa; a granddaughter, Cheslea Annette Breyman Harper, and husband, Mark, and two great-granddaughters, Jordan and Madison of Fort Smith; cousins, Bob Lowrey of Poteau and Martha Hardin and husband, Larry of Oklahoma City. She was loved by four stepgranddaughters, Karen Dobbs of Bella Vista, Sharon Breyman of Tampa, Fla., Charlotte Carson and Gail Breyman of Coffeyville, Kan. Ms. Chesnut attended prep schools in Beverly Hills, Calif., and Holton Arms in Maryland. She lived with her family in homes in Poteau, Tulsa and Oklahoma City. She attended Oklahoma University where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Ms. Chesnut, "Gama" as she was called by those that loved her, was a world traveler, spoke fluent French and dabbled in Italian and German. She was a skilled gourmet cook, consummate hostess, and talented artist. She was a master bridge player, enjoyed Mah Jong and was a gifted pianist. She had an insatiable curiosity and love of the sea and the Swiss Alps. She traveled to California in her 80s to learn a new fabric design procedure and the traveled with her granddaughter, Cheslea, to New York City to sell her designs. She and her granddaughter traveled extensively, experienced many wonderful places and made lasting memories. "Gama" was a tender, loving great-grandmother that left her great-granddaughters with an appreciation of nature, art and music. Ms. Chesnut's life was filled with community service. She was a sustainer in the Junior League of Oklahoma City and a volunteer for the LeFlore County Red Cross for many years. She traveled the rural back roads of eastern Oklahoma to find families of military personnel who were lost or injured in battle or needed messages sent home. In her quite way, she would deliver messages to families with dignity. There will be a memorial service and celebration of her life at St. John's Episcopal Church in Fort Smith Thursday, June 18, at 2 p.m.

Obituary submitted by Edwards Funeral Home of Fort Smith. Published Times Record June 18, 2009