KOSCIUSKO — Annette Dobbins Lowry, widow of Warren Lowry, died and went to meet her Savior, Jesus Christ, on March 9, 2013 at age 90. She was born July 8, 1922 to Lewis and Zelma Smith Dobbins Wade, in New York City. Growing up, Annette spent school months in Richton, MS and summer months in Kosciusko, enjoying time with many cousins, since her mother was one of many first cousins, grandchildren in the line of Jesse C. and Mary Anne Smith. She later earned an Associates degree at Jones County Community College.

In Aug., 1941, while standing on the steps of First Baptist Church, Starkville, and waiting for a youth meeting to begin, she saw a very personable young man, surrounded by a group of ladies, but she was able, later, to secure a ride with him back to her dorm … that young man was Warren Lowry, who told a friend that night that, “I have met the girl I am going to marry” and as they say, “the rest is history.”

After dating a while, they decided to move to Pascagoula, MS to seek work in the Ingalls Shipyards. He made plans to pick her up on one Sunday in Dec. 1941, but upon arriving at her home they all learned that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor that morning, so they postponed the trip. They did, later, relocate there; Warren working in the drafting department, and Annette in the billing office. They married the following October. (’42)

Three children were born to them in Pascagoula: Melita Annette, Barbara Gene, and Morgan Nicholson, before they moved to Meridian, MS in 1948 to join a company, painting advertising signs on vehicles, buscards, etc for two years. When business dwindled, they moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1950, where Lewis and his second wife had relocated. They spent 33 years there; in 1954, Richard Warren was born. During the time they lived in Memphis, Warren worked in a new industry of advertising: decals. He also worked part time as Music Director at several Baptist churches, and Annette worked in many of these, doing secretarial duties, teaching Sunday School, and singing in Warren’s choirs, often singing duets with him.

Even though Annette was very busy with all this, she was very involved at home, loving cooking, sewing, gardening, decorating, many of which she passed on to her children. . . she often said that Warren was the one we got our talents from; she was wrong: she excelled at all of her interests, and we were blessed to inherit from both f them. She also enjoyed reading and history. And Warren and Annette were very involved in helping maintain the Smith family reunions in Kosciusko, MS.

When Annette and Warren moved to Kosciusko after heart problems led to his retirement in 1983, they joined First Presbyterian Church, and they were active in the choir, and Warren sang in quartets, an interest that was a large part of his life. They were very active members until Warren’s death in 1994, and health issues prevented Annette’s attendance.

Annette was especially fond of her grandchildren and of her “greats” … could tell you even birthdays of 90 percent of them, and never referred to them as “step” or “natural” … they were ALL hers! When she moved from her little house on Jefferson, there was discovered on a closet shelf many gifts already purchased for the next Christmas or birthdays, with tags already on them.

In 2009, she moved to Southaven, MS to live with granddaughter, Regina Lacy, until health problems required assisted living. She moved to Beehive Homes in Carthage, MS in May, 2011, where she was very happy, until it was evident she needed more specialized care. She, then, went to live at Choctaw Residential Center near Philadelphia, MS. The family wishes to thank all the fine people who cared for her, especially: Jana Tanton, Martha Ryals, Regina Fortenberry, and Jeff Posey, and also Don Cook and Sandy McMillan from Hospice Advantage.

Annette is preceded in death by her father, Lewis Dobbins, her mother, Zelma Smith Dobbins Wade, a brother, Gene Dobbins of Petal, MS, daughter, Barbara Lowry, an unborn child, and grandson, Josh Bordelon.

She is survived by daughter Melita Lowry Bordelon (Barry), sons, Morgan Lowry (Nadya) and Richard Lowry; grandchildren: Regina Lacy, Sherry Bordelon, Ronny Bordelon (Robyn), Kerry Daigre (Preston), Andy Guy (Melody) and Aimee Bordelon (Tim Raffel); great-grandchildren: DeDrea Baynham and Dusty Bradford, Jimmie and Amanda Lacy, Berke and Kirsten Willis, Veronica Bordelon, Camron Daigre, Noah, Jonah, and Hannah Guy, and Logan Bordelon and Alice Raffel, and a great-great-granddaughter, Peyton Hathcock, and special friends, Rose Harris and Antonio Winters.

There will be a visitation at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 23, and memorial service to follow at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 601 Smythe St., Kosciusko, MS 39090.

No flowers please . . . any remembrances may be made to French Camp Academy, 1 Fine Place, French Camp, MS 39745-9989.