Shirley Ann Lowery was born to Frances Cordelia “Dutch” Page and Harold Leon “Slim” Bumgardner on August 16, 1941 in Wheeler County, Nebraska. She peacefully departed this world on December 13, 2023 at her home with family by her side at the age of 82.
She grew up in the northern part of Garfield County on the Frank Wear ranch. She attended Ballagh School District #18 from 1st to 7th grade. In March of 1954, the family moved to Ericson where she continued 7th to 10th grade. The last two years of High School she went to Burwell High School graduating with the class of 1959.
December 2, 1960, she married Melvin Roy Lowery (love thy neighbor). They had four children: Laura Jane, Ruth Ann, Fred Glen, and Jean Maria.
Along with being an exceptional ranch secretary, Shirley cooked for hired men three meals, 6 days a week and then the preacher on Sunday. One summer, there were 14 people dining around her table enjoying delicious and lovingly prepared meals.
She found love in Genealogy. In 2000, Shirley purchased a computer which she taught herself how to operate. This allowed her to finish finding her grandpa Page’s lineage and tracing back as far as she could.
Shirley was very proud to have documented five ancestors in the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. In addition, Shirley researched and provided documentation of two American Revolutionary Soldiers with another pending. (She says I have a goodly heritage).
Shirley loved cats and dogs. She enjoyed registering quarter horses and naming them, and watching rodeos, especially Tuff Cooper roping. The Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Burwell Longhorns were two of her favorite teams she loved and supported.
Shirley and her sisters always watched the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes. She picked horses who were trained by Bob Baffert. In 2018 she chose “Justify” who won the Triple Crown. She often was able to pick the winners. She had a knack for often choosing horses who were the winners.
Shirley belonged to the Erina Sunday School, Calamus Trinity Methodist Church, and NSDAR #5040, Nebraska Society of the Mayflower Descendants, and the Nebraska Cattlewomen.
She sold Avon for four years and was a US Census taker for ten years. She had a gift for remembering people’s names, birthdays, and horse bloodlines.
Shirley feels that she has lived a good long life and feels blessed.
Preceding her in death were her parents, two sisters Marcella (Delmar) Bowers, and Marilyn (Don) Weber, and her brother Jackie (Elaine) Bumgardner, two brothers-in-law and spouse Jim and Aleta Lowery and Vernon “Zeke”, three nieces and a nephew.
She leaves to mourn her loving husband Melvin Roy Lowery of 63 years, and her children Laura (Kenny) Nelson, Ruth (Wally) Seamann, Fred, and Jean (Douglas) Bode; Eight Grandchildren Dillon Nelson, Megan (Jake) Licking, Nathan (Haley) Nelson, Logan (Kaytlyn) Seamann, Cory Seamann, Belva Claire (Jake) Detwiler, Kelley (Kyle) Carr and Levi Bode; Eight great grandchildren and one to be born in June, sister-in-law Sandra Lowery. Ruby Ogden a friend of 75 years.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 16, 2023 at the Calamus Trinity Methodist Church in Burwell, Nebraska. Burial will be in the Cottonwood Cemetery in Burwell. Pastor Alan Petersen will officiate. Visitation will be Friday from 5 – 7 p.m. at Hitchcock Funeral Home in Burwell. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to 4 The Cure or the Burwell Fire Department.
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