Mary "Theresa" Lowry

On Tuesday April 9th 2019, Mary “Theresa” Lowry, passed away at age 82.   It is believed that many thought she was immortal but her husband Emory Robert Lowry missed her so much he called her home to him.  They are now driving around in the station wagon to the beach.  She left behind hell a lot of stuff for her daughters and sons who have no idea what to do with it.  She leaves behind a very dysfunctional family of which she was very proud and Theresa was world-renowned for her lack of patience, not holding back her opinion and a knack for telling it like it is.  She always told you the truth even if you did not want to hear it.  It was that school of hard knocks, and, yes, we were told many times how she had to walk miles in a blizzard to get to school, so suck it up buttercup.  With that said, she was genuine to a fault kind to anyone in need and yet did not sugar coated anything.

Theresa had extensive vocabulary and was more than highly proficient at knowing more curse words than most people learned in a lifetime.  She liked the four-letter words as much as she loved her books and art work and being a major activist.  She even used them one last time before leaving us to meet dad.

Everyone always knew where you stood with her.  She liked you or she didn’t, it was black or white.  As her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren we knew where she stood on topics and issues and we dare not to push her buttons.

Theresa was born May 25, 1936 in Bronx of New York raised by her parents who were both Irish immigrants.  Emory and Theresa Lowry met in an Irish pub 64 years ago. She didn’t like him at first but when she saw him the next day and actually talked to him she grew to like him. Then they dated on and off for six months when he was deployed. Her mom didn’t like him because he was in the Navy but her dad loved him because he was like the son he never had. He was in the Navy for years as a carried rank store keeper. Her favorite Navy story was when he gave a polar bear an apple at the North Pole when all his ship mates ran calling him crazy.

She received her Master Degree in Fine Arts from New York, City.  Theresa moved to Baltimore with her husband Emory Lowry and they settled in Lansdowne where our mother became a Community Activist and was honored over the 49 years of her civic activism and significate contributions to the community and the Southwest Leadership Team.

Theresa was married for 63 years to her husband Emory Robert Lowry who passed away last year right at this time in April.  They raised 4 children in the same home of 48 years.  Bobby, Dawn, Ann and Jim.  She also had 6 grandchildren; Christina, Michael, Jacob, Julianna, Ryan, Samuel, then one great grandchild, Elizabeth.

Theresa was well known for her heart to help her community many stated they feared her and she was a fierce woman to go up against.  She fought hard for the underdog and taught her children and grandchildren to be strong, courageous and compassionate.  Her door was always open for anyone in need or just an ear.

Theresa will be missed and survived by her sister Dr. Veronica Duda, her children: Bobby Lowry - wife Tracy, Dawn Lowry, Ann Skinner - husband Joshua Skinner, and James Lowry; Her grandchildren, Christina Lowry, Michael Lowry, Jacob Lowry, Julianna Skinner, Ryan Skinner and Samuel Skinner; Her great-granddaughter Elizabeth Lowry and dear friends, Brenda Harney, Becky Parish and Katie Parish, among many cousins and other relatives.

Family and friends will gather in the Lansdowne location on Sunday from 3-5 & 7-9PM where a funeral service will be held on Monday at 9:30AM.  Interment will immediately follow in the Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville.

At the family's request, please consider donating to The Lung Center at St. Agnes Hospital: 3407 Wilkens Avenue Suite 440 Baltimore, MD 21229.  Cut flowers were not a favorite of Theresa and she would much rather the money be put towards helping others.