[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 205 (Wednesday, December 18, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7153-S7154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REMEMBERING WILLIAM A. LOWRY

 Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, along with my colleagues Senator 
James Risch, Representative  Mike Simpson, and Representative Russ 
Fulcher, I pay tribute to Idahoan Bill Lowry, who was deeply respected 
among his peers and beyond, having earned a wonderful reputation with 
hard work and integrity. His wisdom, good will, and stature helped 
inspire the development of the Owyhee Initiative, which we expect to 
help secure the future of ranching families and the culture of Owyhee 
County.
  The following is Bill's obituary honoring the life of this great 
American:

       ``William `Bill' Anson Lowry was born June 6, 1921 to 
     Charles and Sally Lowry joining a sister, Hazel in Bend, 
     Oregon. He was later joined by 3 brothers (Bob, Al, and 
     Richard) and 7 more sisters (Effa, Gladys, Rhonda, Alta, 
     Dorothy, Betty Jean, and Peggy). The family lived in 
     Prineville, Oregon where Bill began school. They moved a 
     couple times but landed back in Prineville where Bill 
     graduated from the 8th grade.
       After his 8th grade graduation, he began working for the 
     Stearns Cattle Company of Prineville. His Army discharge 
     report listed his civilian occupation as `cowpuncher'. Bill 
     always had a lot of respect for the Stearns family and they 
     became his second family. It was there that he met the love 
     of his life, Vernita `Nita' Hein, who was working in the 
     cookhouse.
       In 1942 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Bill was drafted 
     into the United States Army. However, his induction was 
     pushed back because of the flood of boys enlisting. Bill 
     always wanted to honor the boys who quit school and rushed to 
     enlist, describing many of them as being too young to shave. 
     He related his experience and desire to honor these young men 
     to Idaho State Representative Christy Zito at a meeting in 
     Pleasant Valley. Christy then told his story to her friend, 
     Brian Arnold, who composed a poem entitled Too Young to 
     Shave. Through the good work of the Idaho Chapter of Dream 
     Catchers, the poem is now engraved on a marble plaque and 
     displayed in the Warhawk Museum in Nampa, Idaho, fulfilling 
     his dream of honoring these young men.
       While on leave from his time in the Army Corps of 
     Engineers, he married Nita on July 31, 1945. He was 
     discharged in November of the same year and the young couple 
     returned to Bill's job on the Stearns ranch. The couple began 
     to save their money to realize their dream of owning their 
     own ranch. They worked hard, lived simply, and saved every 
     penny they could even with the addition of their sons, Tim 
     and Mike.
       Eventually they were able to lease a couple of ranches, 
     later purchasing a ranch in Pleasant Valley, Idaho in 1965. 
     One of Bill's greatest joys in life was working on his ranch 
     and with his Hereford cattle. His love (some would say 
     obsession) for Hereford cattle came from his years of working 
     for the Stearns and with their reputation commercial and 
     registered Hereford cattle. His passions were family, 
     Hereford cattle, thoroughbred saddle horses, conservative 
     politics, education, and unwavering patriotism.
       Bill is survived by his sons and their families, Tim (Rosa 
     Maria) and Mike (Gaylene); 10 siblings; 5 grandkids--Mirren 
     Lowry, Amaya (Jim) O'Connor, Luke Lowry, Micki (Kevin) 
     Golden, and Melissa (Cody) Bullock; and 9 great-
     grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, 
     Charles and Sally Lowry; oldest sister, Hazel; and wife, 
     Nita. His family would like to express their deepest 
     appreciation to the staff and residents of Grace Assisted 
     Living in Nampa and the First Choice Hospice caregivers for 
     their kindness to and care of Bill. He was grateful for all 
     of you!''

  The poem titled ``Too Young to Shave'' by Brian Arnold that was 
inspired by Bill and referenced in his obituary follows:

       ``His body was gnarled and twisted, like a wind-blown 
     juniper tree
       He'd seen the sunrise and seen the sun set more times than 
     two of me.
       Hobbling from his truck using two canes, so I stopped and 
     held the door
       He said, `I'm here for the Town Hall meetin'. Is that what 
     you're here for?'
       I wondered aloud why a ninety-year-old man even cared about 
     civic affairs
       He said, `Let me tell you a story.' So I grabbed a couple 
     of chairs.
       `When Pearl Harbor was bombed a bunch of us boys all went 
     into town to join up
       From the farms and ranches, and some from in town, we had 
     an enemy to whup.
       They took down our names and gave us a number, then said 
     they'd give us a call
       So many young fellers were signing up that they couldn't 
     process them all.
       Was a whole lot of youngsters standin in line, see they was 
     lyin about their age
       All ready to die for our country, while still too young to 
     shave.
       It took a few months before they got to us all, `cause so 
     many wanted to go
       I was an infantryman in the Army, a regular G.I. Joe.
       Saw many a good man die over there, it was a special kind 
     of hell
       We were all just tryin to do our part, for some it didn't 
     work out well.
       Most are buried in those foreign lands, they never did come 
     home
       They gave their all for freedom, across the briny foam.
       That war's long over and there's been some since, but I can 
     never forget
       True comrades that I fought alongside, as they placed their 
     final bet.
       So that's why I'm here, just to make sure, that as long as 
     our proud flag waves
       I do my damndest to honor, those men too young to shave.' 
     ''

  Bill was a blessing to his family and the community in which he 
lived, and he will be long-remembered with great affection and respect. 
We are all saddened by Bill's passing yet grateful for his life and 
legacy.

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