Joan Clay Lowe

Joan Clay Lowe died on the 11th of October 2026, in Houston, Texas, two days after her 95th birthday. Joan was a well-known fine art and antiques appraiser in Austin for 30 years before retiring and moving to Houston in 2016 to be near family.

Joan was born to Doris Hope Clay and Howard Alfred Clay in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She was a woman of high standards, gentle grace, and quiet intellect—well-read, well-traveled, fashion-conscious, opinionated, strong-minded, and always amused by the nuances of human behavior. She was a gifted seamstress and a wonderful cook who loved to entertain. Later in life, she made quilts for family and knitted clothes for teddy bears that were given to children at Christmas. Joan adored her family and took immense pride in their accomplishments. A devoted dog lover, she treated her pets as family, among them her giant schnauzers Lasso and Quarna. After moving to Austin in 1970, Joan became a loyal Texas Longhorns fan and could often be found in front of the television on Saturdays cheering them on.

Professionally, Joan operated an antique store in Austin and later became an Accredited Senior Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers. She enjoyed managing her appraisal business, and often traveled abroad for both pleasure and for the study of fine and decorative arts. She especially loved spending time in England.

Joan was a dedicated member of her community. She was involved in the Austin Art League, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Jamestown Society, the English Ceramic Circle, the American Ceramic Circle, the National Huguenot Society, the Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters, and the English-Speaking Union.

She served as a docent at both the Texas Governor’s Mansion and the Neill-Cochran House Museum in Austin, and she spent countless hours on genealogical research, tracing her own ancestry. She was a member of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Austin and, more recently, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston.

Joan’s first marriage was to James C. Lovelady, her high school sweetheart. She later married Bob Lowe, a restaurateur and wine expert who operated The Galleria restaurant in Austin.

Joan was predeceased by her parents, both husbands, her brother James Howard Clay, two Carruthers stepbrothers, and six Carruthers stepsisters. She is survived by her daughter Carol Lovelady Dehan (husband George Dehan); grandson Bryan Dehan (wife Julie); great-grandson Charlie; sister-in-law Nell Clay of Dallas, Texas; niece Karen Clay Jordan of San Angelo, Texas; nephew Jimmy Clay of Grand Prairie, Texas; and stepdaughters Karen Lowe, Alecia Crandell (husband Scott), and Pelle Lowe.

The family will hold a private entombment at Memorial Oaks Cemetery. Joan’s family is thankful for the kind, loving care shown by everyone at Belmont Village Hunters Creek in recent years, and for the care provided by Bayou City Hospice in recent months.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church (Attn: The Gathering), 717 Sage Road, Houston, TX 77056, or Amazing Place, 3735 Drexel Dr., Houston, TX 77027. Both organizations offer adult day programs for the memory impaired.