Susan Magdalene Hamby Lowe

Susan was born in Anderson County near Clinton, SC, the daughter of William Monroe Hamby and Mary Hackett Hamby.  At the age of 6, after the death of her parents, Susan moved to Thornwell Orphanage with 4 of her 5 sisters.  After experiencing the illness and deaths of her parents, she always knew that she wanted to be a nurse.  As a teenager at Thornwell, she volunteered to live in the infirmary where she could help take care of the babies and younger children.

She excelled in education while at Thornwell, graduating as Thornwell High School Valedictorian in 1952.  Then she went on to Queens College in Charlotte, NC to earn a Registered Nurse degree with training at Mercy Hospital in 1956.  She would always tell people that she was raised in a Presbyterian orphanage and trained at a Catholic hospital.

After college and nursing school, Susan Hamby married George Edwin Lowe, Jr. in 1959. They moved to Wilmington, NC in 1966 with their 3 daughters.  They divorced in 1975.  She was a nurse at Babies Hospital at Wrightsville Beach, NC and later for Dr. William (Bill) Eakins office in Wilmington for many years before becoming a Special Procedures Nurse for the American Red Cross.

Susan Lowe was an avid reader, loved watching figure skating, and enjoyed traveling with family to visit new places and meet people.  She especially loved being with her daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren and family, enjoying life to her fullest.

At the age of 86, Susan passed away peacefully at Laura’s house, surrounded by love, family, and friends.  Her time on earth ended, while eternity in Heaven began.  We grieve her passing yet celebrate her reunion with parents and sisters in God’s presence.

Susan is survived by her 3 daughters: Laura L. Wilder (Dave), Anne L. DeJesus (Ruben), and Mary-Sydney L. Money (Brian); 7 grandchildren: Austin M. Money (Alexa), Laura-Amanda M. Solis (Javier), Ryan C. DeJesus (Victoria), T.J. Strickland (Jennifer Guarino), Jeremy DeJesus, Mark Strickland, and Keri W. Ayscue (Derek); 2 great granddaughters: Mariella Ayscue and Lilah Strickland; and numerous nieces and nephews.  Carol Thompson, one of her nieces, often joined Susan and daughters for family adventures.  She also had a “4th daughter”, Deeanna Hale Holland.  Dee faithfully visited Susan weekly and kept a supply of library books flowing without ever duplicating the reading list.

There will be a family celebration of her life on November 16th. 

Instead of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her honor to the orphanage where she grew up: Thornwell, 302 South Broad St., Clinton, SC 29325 or online at www.thornwell.org.