Marguerite passed away peacefully on Friday March 15, 2024 at the VNA Hospice House in Vero Beach, Florida at the age of 94.
Marguerite was born July 17, 1929 in Miles City, Montana to Peter Howard and Dora (Steel) Merchant. She was raised on the family ranch in Stacy/Volborg. She attended Loesch County Schools where she and her brother Dallas rode horseback to school and graduated from Custer County High School in Miles City. Following graduation she earned her BA in Education from the Black Hills Teachers College, where she met her future husband, Donald Lowry.
Upon graduating college in 1950, Marguerite accepted a teaching position at Redmond Union High School, Redmond, Oregon beginning fall of 1950. She told the Vice Principal Clayton Norton during her interview that she and her soon to be husband were a package deal. Hire me and you need to hire him. They were married in the summer of 1951 in Miles City, Montana. Don Lowry began teaching in the fall of 1951. Marguerite started as a physical education teacher and left the school in 1960 as the Dean of Girls.
In 1967 the Lowry family moved to Hood River Oregon where Donald took the position of Hood River County School District Librarian. Marguerite substitute taught for many years while enjoying family life of growing flowers, music, swimming, skiing and summer trips to the Montana ranch. Later she joined Business Men’s Assurance selling insurance. For many years she was the Portland, Oregon branch top sales person.
Marguerite was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Donald, brother Dallas and step brothers Arlie and Fred. She is survived by daughter, Jodi Pate Ahearn and Son in law, Thomas Ahearn of Vero Beach and Boca Raton, Florida and son, Cecil Lowry Warner of St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands. Any correspondence to family to: Jodi Ahearn, 1140 Olde Doubloon Dr, Vero Beach, FL 32963