Phyllis Lavonne Lowder

Born on August 31, 1939 in Union County, North Carolina, Phyllis was raised in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James D. Lowder, U.S. Navy (retired); her parents, Stacy and Cornelia Helms of Fort Mill, South Carolina; her sister, Sherry Helms Sutton; and her niece, Beth Sutton.

She is survived by her sons, Kim Lowder (Roxanne) of Nashville, Tennessee, and Greg Lowder (Christine) of Jacksonville, Florida; three grandchildren, Bryan Lowder (Marcy), Katie Dant (Michael), and Kendall Lowder (Rob Cetnarowski); and five great-grandchildren, Lily, Maddie Beau Dant, Sawyer, Finley, and Bennett Lowder.

In 1968, Phyllis and her family moved to Neptune Beach. She worked at American National Bank and managed the Mayport Naval Station branch for over 30 years. A highly respected member of the beach’s business community, she received the U.S. Military’s National Banker of the Year Award several years in a row.

Phyllis embodied the strength of a Navy wife, raising two sons before she was 20 and traveling cross-country alone with them while her husband was deployed at sea. She sacrificed greatly to ensure her boys had the best of everything. She often said, “Heaven has a special place for a mother of sons,” and it truly does.

After retirement, she enjoyed bowling, playing bingo, and traveling with her dear friend, Jo Gibson. She was an active member of Neptune Baptist Church, where she cherished her Sunday school and life group, especially under the guidance of Tom Berry before his passing.

Phyllis remained active until she moved to assisted living and memory care at Fellowship Cove at Marsh Landing.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the caring team at Community Hospice and the dedicated staff at Fellowship Cove at Marsh Landing.

A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 p.m on June 12, 2026 at Beaches Chapel by Hardage-Giddens, 1701 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

A committal service will follow in Beaches Memorial Park, 1500 Main Street, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233, at 3:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Community Hospice of Jacksonville or your local hospice organization.