Obituary:Dennis Lowery

Dennis W. Lowery, 65, of 25 School St., passed away Sunday, June 27, 2010 in Gibsonia. Funeral arrangements are incomplete, and will be announced with a full obituary by the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes Inc.

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford provied WESB and The HERO with the following news release and the photo of Lowery from 2004 when he received Pitt-Bradford's Presidential Medal of Distinction:

Dennis Lowery of Bradford, a longtime supporter of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, an active member of the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association and a member of the first class in 1963, will receive the Presidential Medal of Distinction, the university’s highest honor.

“It is most appropriate that Denny should receive the university’s highest honor during its 40th anniversary since Pitt-Bradford has been a part of his life for all of those 40 years,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, university president. “Denny continues to serve the university in numerous capacities, and all of us at Pitt-Bradford are grateful to him for his unwavering support.”

Lowery will receive the award during the university’s annual commencement exercises, which will be held Sunday, April 25.

“I am very honored and humbled to be recognized,” Lowery said.

Each year Pitt-Bradford presents the Presidential Medal of Distinction to someone who has either volunteered his or her time for several years; supported the university either financially or with expertise or advice; served the university’s service region through community, government, or business affiliation; or has made distinctive achievements in his or her field that has affected Pitt-Bradford.

Past recipients of the Presidential Medal of Distinction award have been Edwin Clemens, Marilyn Horne, Howard Fesenmyer, Henry P. Pruch, Robert D. Galey, Lester Rice, William F. Higie, Samuel Gregg Jr., Dr. Robert C. Laing, Harriett B. Wick, Sarah B. Dorn, U.S. Rep. John E. Peterson, Dr. Robert B. Bromeley and Virginia L. Miles.

Lowery, director and vice president of property and facilities at Northwest Savings Bank in Warren, Pa., became involved with Pitt-Bradford in 1963 when he attended the university as a member of its first class.

From 1963-65, he was the first Student Government Association president.
“In the early years, we would do phonathons and attempt to raise money through alumni,” Lowery said. “It was done with assistance through the Oakland campus, and I was the one who helped coordinate this.”

Besides coordinating the early phonathons, Lowery was a member of the steering committee that organized the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association in 1993. Not only was he named the interim president of the PBAA, but he was also the first alumni representative to serve as a PBAA member. In addition, he was a member of the association’s board of directors from 1994-2001, and he served as the PBAA’s treasurer and as a member of its nominating committee.

Lowery has also been an active member of the Advisory Board since 1994, serving as the alumni liaison on the board’s Development Council and Campaign Cabinet.

More recently, Lowery is serving as the alumni co-chairman of the Complete the Campus Campaign and has taken the lead in creating several endowed scholarship funds.

Dr. Richard McDowell, president emeritus and associate professor of biology, said that Lowery is the only person he knows who has fully participated in the university during its entire 40-year history.

“His participation is characterized by active leadership, which began as the first student government president and continues today with his energetic involvement in many aspects of the college,” McDowell said. “We are indeed indebted for his early leadership to form an alumni association and his persistent dedication to achieve the award-winning association we see today.”

McDowell not only commends the leadership efforts of Lowery, but he also recognizes Lowery’s undying efforts to raise money for the university.

“We are most appreciative of his fund-raising leadership, helping to establish many endowed funds which will honor faculty and support student scholarships in perpetuity,” McDowell said.

“The governance of Pitt-Bradford is blessed with his wit, humor, knowledge and sage reasoning,” said McDowell. “I will always cherish his friendship and forever be grateful for his unending commitment to our college.”