Robert Lee Lowry

LOWRY, ROBERT LEE (1918~2005) Robert Lee Lowry, state district judge, was born November 11, 1918. The eleventh of twelve children, he was a Naval Air Corps Veteran of World War II and attended Southern Methodist University, Delta State College, and received a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree at the University of Houston Law School.

Robert was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1951; admitted to practice before U.S. District Court of Southern District of Texas, U.S. Court of Appeals for Fifth Circuit, U.S. Tax Court and U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals. He was appointed Judge of the Juvenile Court of Harris County, Texas in 1965, by Governor John Connally and took office January 1, 1966. Judge Lowry was a member of the Houston Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, American Bar Association, American Judicature Society, Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas, National Council of Juvenile Court Judges, Family Law Section of the State Bar Association and Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity. After moving to the suburbs, Judge Lowry incorporated the City of Hilshire Village and served as its city attorney for 6 years and mayor for two terms.

Robert Lowry is a former member of the Harris County Mayors and Councilmen Association, Texas League of Municipalities, Director of Volunteer Community Services, former member of the Houston Youth Citizenship Commission, Director of the Men and Boys section of the Magnolia YMCA, former member of the Texas State Historical Survey Committee, Director of the Texas Historical Foundation, former Executive Board Member of the Community Council, member of the Mental Health Services-Advisory Council of St. Joseph's Hospital, Chairman and member of the Continuing Education Committee for Juvenile Court Judges in the State of Texas, Chief Justice and Chairman of the Task Force for Court Improvement for the Governor's Juvenile Justice Conference. Judge Lowry held positions as Vice-Chairman of the Juvenile Board of Harris County, Chairman of the Triad Committee advising the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, Harris County Children's Protective Service, and Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority; member of the Harris County Board of Judges Executive Committee; Advisory Board of CASA volunteers; Advisory Committee of Juvenile Court Volunteers; and Chairman of the Juvenile Justice Committee, Texas Center for the Judiciary-State Bar.

Judge Lowry was appointed Judge of the 313th District Court of the State of Texas in 1977, by Governor Dolph Briscoe and retired on the 75th anniversary of Veterans Day. He continued to serve as a Senior District Judge until his death on April 24, 2005.

Judge Robert Lee Lowry is survived by his wife of 57 years, Kitty Higginbotham Lowry; his children Robert Lowry, Jr.; Debra Barrett and husband Danny; and Douglas Lowry and wife Anne; grandchildren Jordan Bateman, Jonathan Barrett, Douglas Lowry, Jr., Joshua Merritt and wife Michelle, Megan Lowry, and Jamie Lowry; great grandchildren Carly Merritt and Isen Merritt.

Information taken from his obituary, which was published in the Houston Chronicle on April 25, 2005.