John William Lowe Jr

John William Lowe, Jr., 80, of York, IL, died on January 23, 2021, in the comfort of his home, surrounded by his family. He was born April 19, 1940, in Flora, IL, to John William Lowe, Sr. & Maxine (McCommons) Lowe. The son of a construction worker, John grew up all over before eventually settling in the West Union area. Here, he began attending the First Baptist Church of West Union, where he lent his strong, booming voice to serve as a song leader, a role he continued to fill for the rest of his life. It was here at the church that he met the love of his life, Beverly Drake, and they were married on December 13, 1959. For a brief period, they found themselves in Flora, where John worked for Spartan Horn before finding employment at the foundry in Terre Haute, IN. They eventually moved back to the area to buy the Sunoco Gas Station in West Union. Eventually, he started working his in-laws’ dairy farm, which he took over and operated before selling it in 1986. The latter end of his professional career found him on the road, driving for Morris Trucking before getting on with KZ International in Casey, IL, where he retired. Much of his free time was spent building an impressive collection of farm toys. In fact, he used many of these toys to make farm displays, a hobby that gained him local notoriety, and rightly so, as he took great pride in his work. But for as proud as he was of his displays, it was evident that he was even more proud of his family. They brought life to his living, especially his grandchildren, who would describe their grandpa as a loveable goofball who could bring light and joy to any and all situations. His loved ones could also attest to the fact that he didn’t know a stranger, and that he would do anything for anybody. By all accounts, his heart beat for others, and he was truly the type of person who would give the shirt off of his back to someone in need. This gracious way of living pointed to his walk with Jesus. John let his light shine among men, and in doing so, glorified his Heavenly Father. We who are left behind are thankful for his Christian example, and that his 80 years with us were merely the beginning of life everlasting. He is survived by his wife, Bev Lowe (York, IL); by his children & their spouses, Larry & Deb Lowe (Oblong, IL) and Cindy & Mike Halloran (Bloomington, IL); by six grandchildren & their spouses, Jessica & Ryan Jordan, Amanda & Raymond Saarloos, Aaron Lowe, Trevor & Jessica Halloran, Tyler Halloran & Miranda Van Straten, and Shelby Halloran; by six great-grandchildren, Reese, “KK”, Emma, Noella, Fenton, and “Rosebud”; by his brothers & sisters-in-law, Bing & Sue Lowe and Tom & Janet McCommons; as well as several nieces, nephews, and extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, as well as a number of aunts, uncles, and cousins. A time of visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 28th, at the Prust-Hosch Funeral Home in West Union, IL. Under Phase 4 Mitigations, public attendance is allowed, but only up to 50 attendees at a time. Thusly, social distancing measures will be in place, and it will be required that all visitors wear face coverings while in the building. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 29th, with Steve Dolson officiating. During the service, there will be an opportunity for family and friends to share their favorite memories of John. A live stream of his service can be viewed on Goodwine Funeral Homes' Facebook page or by going to https://www.goodwinefuneralhomes.com/live-stream/live-stream . Memorial donations may be made to the “First Baptist Church of West Union”, with envelopes available at the funeral home. John will be laid to rest in York Cemetery.