Gloria Thurmaline Lowrie

Gloria Thurmaline Lowrie was born in Coushatta, Louisiana to Lillie Lounsberry Carlisle and Thurman Carlisle on June 10, 1938. She grew up with her older brother Charles Carlisle and younger brother Warren Carlisle enjoying the outdoors with them. Moving to Sour Lake, Texas to finish her secondary education, she met her future husband, Everett Calvin Lowrie. The two grew up knowing each other through school, enjoying basketball together. The love of her life, they were married for 58 years before her passing in Tempe, AZ. Their only son, Everett Calvin Lowrie, Jr., is married to Jenny Jo Ebeling with their only daughter, Cydney Jo Lowrie 13, of Scottsdale, AZ.

Gloria picked up the nick name "Jo" while in Sour Lake, and this followed her the rest of her life with many friends not even knowing of Gloria. Even though she had many hobbies like tennis, golf, bowling, or gardening, she really enjoyed spending time with friends to talk about the Lord. After a remarkable time with IBM, Cal decided that the family should own a business. That is when the coin operated laundry called, "The Washateria" was opened in early 1970's.

This true love of the Spirit was seen in her many hours with family and friends in the family owned business. Remember your first visit to the laundry with the many plants, signs and encouraging words meeting her Mom, Lillie, or maybe Cal or Cal Jr., running the store. Whether you were at the first laundry off Alamazan Drive, or the other three, Lemmon Road, Shady Brook Lane, and Medallion Center, these businesses were the epicenter of God's Glory thru the many hours spent discussing our Lord's work. For some at the Alamazan laundry, language was no barrier for Jo to warm the hearts of her customers coming in to do their dirty clothes for an hour or so at a time. The Holy Spirit was there that first day, and can be seen there today as well. Incredible witness to God's work.

This could carry over into her home especially on Tuesday evening when the doors were open to share with many women throughout the Dallas Metroplex. What about the BBQ cookouts, the New Years' Eve Parties, overnight stays, or some Blue Bell Peach Vanilla Ice Cream. So many wonderful friends that really became family to us over the years.

Her love for Israel could be seen and heard in many different respects in the home or at the business. God's chosen were also a blessing with her meeting Tami and Abnon Zvuluni, a special family sharing the word with them for many years. Her special trip to Israel with her husband was the best overseas trip of her lifetime. Walking among the people with whom she had not only admired, but loved in her heart sharing with the family she adored.

No matter the hour, time of day or day you would visit with her, one thing is for certain that Jo loved for and cared for many without regard to herself. To those who came out to Phoenix to visit in her later years, even though her body had changed, her spirit never waned. This was seen even sharing with her only grandchild Cydney on the many days they were able to visit with each other.

Even though she may be gone for the moment, Jo left an incredible mark on so many of which we should be all so blessed with knowing that she indeed served The Lord in a manner of which He is most pleased as he opened His arms welcoming Jo into the Kingdom of Heaven. And all this over a load of laundry.....