Elvin "Buddy" Lowery

Funeral services for Elvin “Buddy” Lowery will be Wednesday, September 18th at Carroway Funeral Home in Lufkin with visitation at 1:00pm and the funeral service to be held at 2:00pm, with burial at Garden of Memories. Mr.  Lowery passed away peacefully at home at the age 88, in his hometown of Huntington, Texas, surrounded by loved ones.

Buddy was born on June 9th, 1936 in the small community of Smyrna, Texas, the son of Ephraim and Lucy Wells Lowery. As the youngest of ten siblings, he grew up surrounded by family, where the value of hard work and the idea of the American dream were instilled in him at an early age. Whether hunting, picking cotton, or playing basketball, he put his heart and soul into everything he did. While he was always a fierce competitor, he was best known for his kind-heartedness, sense of humor, and passion for helping those around him.

After moving from Smyrna to Huntington in 1945, he met his wife, Tommie Jan Wilson. Buddy was known for his love of basketball, and it all started at Huntington High School where he played both basketball and baseball, and he is a member of the Huntington High School Hall of Fame.  After playing two years at Panola Junior College, Buddy transferred to Stephen F. Austin State University where he truly created a legacy in basketball while Tommie Jan created a legacy in education. Buddy was inducted into the SFA Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984 and recognized as a “Jacks of Honor” in 2004. After his collegiate career, he went on to play professional basketball for the Detroit Pistons in 1959. Playing in the NBA was a dream, but he preferred the comradery of playing all over Texas with the Lowery Brothers basketball team.

In addition to his basketball legacy, Buddy was a pillar of the community in Angelina County for many decades. After playing in the NBA, he joined his brother in the timber industry where they grew to operate multiple sawmills and chip mills over the course of 40 years. He was a successful real estate investor, cattleman and served on the board of UBank (formerly Huntington State Bank) for over 35 years.  Most importantly, he was known around town for his unfailing generosity and courage in times of need: he was awarded the 1998 Texas Parks & Wildlife Special Commendation Award for saving the life of a young lady in a car accident.

Buddy was lucky enough to spend his entire life surrounded by the tall pine trees and vibrant red dirt of East Texas, which he lovingly called “the old home place.” There is nothing he loved more than a good day’s work under the East Texas sky. He is survived by his wife of 66 years: Tommie Jan Lowery, children: Lane Lowery and Shana De Paoli, son-in-law: Ernest De Paoli and grandchildren: Morgan and Grant De Paoli, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Mike Pearson, Bobby Nichols, Keith Lowery, James Wells, Kent Henson, and Randy Burch.

Buddy was a long-time member of the Huntington First Baptist Church and memorial contributions may be made to the Huntington First Baptist Church Fellowship Class, 702 North Main Street, Huntington, Texas 75949 or to the East Texas Food Bank at easttexasfoodbank.org.

Memories and condolences may be added, and live webcasting of the services may be viewed, at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.