Billy Clayton Lowery age 74, a resident of McKenzie, AL, passed away peacefully on January 28, 2021. Billy grew up in the small community of Chapman, AL, and later married the love of his life, Jill Pierce Lowery in 1968. He enlisted in the Army, and he and Jill traveled the world together. They were stationed in Germany for two years and traveled all over Europe. He was enlisted as a radio operator, was an avid marksman, and trained in industrial electronics. In the ’60s, he worked on radio towers such as the WSFA transmission tower in Ramer, AL, and highly complex electrical grid systems. He had a business and mechanical mind that was beyond comprehension for most people. After the birth of their first daughter, Billie Lynn, he and Jill opened the Western Auto store in McKenzie, AL, and later a grocery store in the community. Together they ran the business until she recently passed away in 2020. They were married 52 years and were each other’s business partner and best friend. As an engineer, Billy (Dad) could fix or build anything. It didn’t matter if it were building a house, installing a new AC unit, building a computer from scratch, or investing in the stock market; he could do it. Cooking, however, he left those duties to Jill :). He liked people who had a desire to learn and work. He raised two girls of his own (Billie Lynn and Jessica) and a host of after-schoolers along the way working in his business (his boys). Later he would welcome 2 sons-in-law and 5 grandchildren. He enjoyed helping others engineer a plan to resolve any issue they were having. He was also dedicated to the children of Butler County. For 12 years, he served on the Butler County Board of Education as the representative for District 5. “You don’t spend what you don’t have” was his motto but always kept the well-being of the children first. He tried to keep the budget balanced in all phases of his life. He also served on the People’s Bank Board of Directors for the McKenzie branch for many years.
He faced several health challenges over the years and could have retired, but that was never in his plan. He loved the people of McKenzie and enjoyed talking with his friends on a daily basis. Most of all he missed his wife. Life for him was never the same after November 21, 2020.
He is preceded in death by his wife Jill Pierce Lowery; parents, Oscar C. Lowery and Inez Williams Godwin, and his infant brother, Jimmy Lowery.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Billie Lynn Lowery Douglas and Billy Douglas of Pleasant Home, AL; daughter and son-in-law, Jessica Lowery Jones and Matthew Jones of Snowdoun, AL; grandchildren, Brayton, Brenden, and Briley Douglas of Pleasant Home, AL, and Ty and Cole Jones of Snowdoun, AL; sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Robert Kelley of Georgiana, AL; brother and sister-in-law, Lester and Cindy Lowery of Georgiana, AL; brother and sister-in-law, Ricky and Kay Godwin of Georgiana, AL; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Manning and Val Pierce of Millbrook, AL; sister-in-law, Evelyn Sellers of Montgomery, AL; brother-in-law, Jack Pierce of Greenville, AL; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Teresa and Steve Inabinet of Opelika, AL; sister-in-law, Sandra Pierce of Wilmer, AL; and sister-in-law, Liz Pierce of McKenzie, AL.
Led by Pastor Randy Harvell, funeral services will be held at Brushy Creek Baptist Church on Tuesday, February 2, 2021. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. with funeral services commencing at 11:00 a.m. A graveside service will follow at Brushy Creek Baptist Church Cemetery located adjacent to the church at:
206 Brushy Creek Road
Greenville, AL 36037
Pallbearers will be: Mike Blackburn, Sid Brown, Tony Hooks, Marc Scott, Rene Fischer, Mickey Jones, and Calvin Hudson.
The family will receive flowers, or memorials may be made in his honor to:
Brushy Creek Baptist Church
Please wear your mask and social distance.
We dedicate this video to our Dad, our veteran:
https://animoto.com/play/r2Cy9b5BJIAkqOJ0ap72Jw
