Ray J. Lowery, 77, well known Nuckolls County resident, who was prominent in soil conservation, rural electrification and farm organization activities of the county for many years, died at the Nuckolls County Hospital in Superior, Saturday, May 3. He had lived all his life in Nuckolls County and farmed near Davenport until 1950 when he retired and moved to Oak.

Mr. Lowery was the son of William and Minnie Lowery, and was born near Oak on Jan. 21, 1892. He was united in marriage to Florence Fern Follmer July 12, 1917, and 10 children were born to the union, six sons and four daughters.

He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church of Davenport, was graduated from Davenport High School with the class of 1912 (NOTE: he graduated with the class of 1911), attended Kearney State College and Peru Normal School, and taught school in Nuckolls County until his marriage.

He was an AAA Field Man for a number of years, member of the Nuckolls County Farmers Union for 50 years and served for several years as a Farmers Union District director. He was also a director of the Farmers Union Hybrid Seed Company of St. Marys, Kan., a board member of the South Central Public Power District, a past president of the Nebraska Rural Electrification Assn., and a supervisor of the Nuckolls County Soil and Water Conservation District for 10 years.

He was a member of Lily Lodge 154, A.F. and A.M., and Chapter 268 of the Order of the Eastern Star of Davenport; Edgar Chapter No. 22, Royal Arch Masons; Damascus Council No. 14, Royal and Select Masters, Superior; Mt. Nebo Commandery No. 11, Knights Templar, Hastings and Tehama Temple Shrine at Hastings.

Mr. Lowery was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Charles; sisters, Mary Skjold, Florence Jackson and Nellie Sanner, and one infant granddaughter.
He is survived by his wife, Fern; sons, Alvin of Oak; Willima (sic) of Dearborn Heights, Mich., Ray J. jr., of Davenport, George of Carpentersville, Ill., Darrell of Hastings, and John of Superior; daughters, Marion Mosier of Davenport, Patricia Nygren of Lakewood, Calif., Joyce Fuller of Lincoln, Cordelia Heinricks of Loveland, Colo.; 36 grandchildren, eight great grandchildren; brothers, Virgil of Davenport and Earl of Seattle, Wash.; sister, Evelyn Hamilton of Burley, Idaho, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held at Christ Lutheran Church Davenport, Tuesday, May 6, and burial was in the Nelson Cemetery.

The Superior Express, Thursday, May 8, 1969, p.1, column 3.