James Russell Lowell

1942 - 2017

LOWELL James Russell Lowell, 74, of Jacksonville, Florida has gone to sit under the great magnolia tree in the sky, surrounded by all the felines he loved, to await reunion with his wife, Jennifer. He died on June 21st in her arms-53 years to the day that he married her in Eugene, Oregon. The two met at the University of Oregon in 1961 when Jim was pursuing his BA in General Science and Jennifer was working on her Journalism degree. Lowell was the photographer for the university's newspaper, the Oregon Daily Emerald and Jennifer crafted its advertising, as well as writing for the Eugene Register Guard. During those early years, Jim earned his first Associated Press wire photo for a photograph he took whilst the two of them were out shooting pictures in a rare Oregon hurricane. The two were married on June 21st of 1964, just a week after Jennifer had the honor of pinning on Jim's Second Lieutenant bars; five days later, they began to tour the world as Army spouses. Lt. Lowell served tours in Arizona, Hawaii, Japan, Thailand, and finally three tours of duty in Vietnam, where he was awarded a Bronze Star by Maj Gen K.B. McCutcheon and where he also earned the respect of the DASPO team (Department of the Army Special Photographic Office) that he led. Sadly, it was in Vietnam that he came into frequent physical contact with Agent Orange, the American military's carcinogenic defoliant chemical which eventually took his life. In 1968, Lowell was sent to the Army's military college in Monmouth Station, N.J. Graduating-after nine exhaustive months-as the top student in his class, he was assigned the position of Deputy Chief of Communications for the Military District of Washington, DC. While writing materials for the Pentagon, Lowell won first place in the Pentagon Photography competition for one of his Vietnam photographs; he also won the Freedom Foundation Medal for an essay about why he was proud to be an American. After his service in the Pentagon, Capt. Lowell was assigned as the Communications Officer for the Chaparral Missile Battalion at Ft. Bliss, Texas. During these years, the Lowells had two sons, Jeffery Douglas, born in 1965 and James Patrick, born in 1967. But, following the birth of their adored daughter, Meg, in 1969, Capt. Lowell resigned his commission and began 30 years of service with various branches of AT&T Public Relations. Some of the highlights of Lowell's career in the Communications industry were creating and heading the Speakers' Bureau for AT&T, which introduced science to middle school systems in the San Francisco area and helping to bring such cultural luminaries as John Carlo Menotti, YoYo Ma, and August Wilson to St. Louis, MO. While serving as the ghost writer for Bell Laboratories Nobel laureates, Lowell also designed and created a traveling exhibit featuring the original version of Alexander Graham Bell's telephone, which Lowell discovered one duty day in the bowels of the Smithsonian Institution. While at Bell Laboratories, Lowell earned his MA in Communications at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he again graduated first in his class; he later did his ABD work at New York University in New York City. He would be proud to be remembered for some of the advertising campaigns he designed for AT&T during his years at the Bedminster facilities. One involved a slug which could manufacture static electricity. Lowell served as what he termed the slug wrangler for the recalcitrant beast during photo shoots. Lowell retired as Vice President of Internal Communications for Citicorp here in Jacksonville. But, bored with retirement, he accepted the position of College Chair at the University of Phoenix, where he taught Communications classes. After his second and final retirement, Lowell became involved with the Jacksonville Camera Club, serving two years as Vice President and President. His photographs won countless prizes through the club and in the Photographic Society of America competitions. Eventually, Mr. Lowell put together a 40-picuture exhibit of his earlier black and white photographic work from his years in Vietnam; this exhibit toured Florida Art Museums, was featured in international photography magazines and earned a place in the Pritzker Military Museum's Vietnam Memorial Gallery. Lowell was loved by all who met him for his intelligence, warmth, sense of humor and willingness to share his knowledge and talents. He was nursed through his final lengthy illness by his beloved wife, Dr. Jennifer Pearce Lowell, and the daughter of whom he was so incredibly proud, Meg Lowell Kimball of Denver, Colorado. Mr. Lowell leaves behind a son, James Patrick Lowell of Boston, MA, his son-in-law, James Thaddeus Kimball and his dear grandson, Seamus Patrick Kimball of Denver, CO. He was grateful for the care given to him at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston, the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and Jacksonville's Community Hospice. His funeral will be private with Rabbi Goodman officiating, but a Celebration of Life will be scheduled at some time in the future. In lieu of flowers, Jim would have wanted donations to be made to Sulzbacher Center, an institution which was dear to his heart. He will be sorely missed by his family and all his friends in America and overseas. As one close friend noted yesterday, Jim brought out the best in all who knew him. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Chapel, 4801 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207 www.hardagegiddensoaklawnchapel.com (904)737-7171