John Joseph Lowry, of Phoenix, passed away peacefully at home on April 17, 2023, with family members by his side after a ten-year journey with Alzheimer’s Disease.
John was born on April 30, 1941, in Columbus, Ohio to Murvin and Anna (Hohmann) Lowry, the second of seven brothers. John became a machinist and attended The Ohio State University where he graduated with a degree in Accounting, maintaining lifetime Buckeye blood. At OSU he met his wife, Marion Frey, and was married on December 18, 1971. He was a tactical fighter pilot, flying F-100’s and A7D’s in the Ohio Air National Guard, earning the rank of Major.
John worked for the U.S. Treasury, with the IRS as a Special Agent for the Criminal Investigation Division for 15 years and U.S. Customs as an Air Interdiction Officer for 12 years, until retirement in 1998. An expert on the paper trail, he loved researching genealogy and creating collages of pictures and complex information.
The family moved to Phoenix in 1986 and enjoyed taking annual cross-country trips to visit family and friends while visiting national parks in the 48 continental U.S. states.
John is survived by his wife of 51 years, Marion (Frey); son John (Michelle Phelan), daughter Jennifer (Mark Arnold), daughter Susan (Ken Brown), son Reverend Matthew, and daughter Ann (Ryan Howe); nine grandchildren; younger brothers, Jerry and James. He is predeceased by his parents, and brothers Robert, Thomas, William, and Michael.
A funeral Mass [was] celebrated on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
In place of flowers, donations may be made to the Foundation for Senior Living (fsl.org), Hospice of the Valley (hov.org), or Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org). Condolences may be expressed at www.whitneymurphyfuneralhome.com.