Robert Carswell "Bobby" Lowther Sr.

Robert Carswell "Bobby" Lowther Sr.

Memorial services for Robert Carswell "Bobby" Lowther, Sr. will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 27, 2015 at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Alexandria, 2627 Horseshoe Drive, with The Reverend Richard Snow officiating. Friends are asked to visit in the Parish Hall of St. Timothy's on Friday from 9 a.m. until time of service.

Robert Carswell Lowther, Sr. was born December 14, 1923 in Houston, Texas to Alexander Carswell Lowther and Jeanette Pippin. Throughout his life he was exceptionally active in sports, particularly track and basketball. At an early age, he, his brother Buster and best friend Ace Higgins would stage mock track meets in the neighborhood where they grew up on 13th Street. His love for these two sports led him to become a very accomplished athlete claiming NCAA All American honors in both sports in 1946.

Bobby graduated from Bolton High School in 1941 and in turn attended Louisiana State University and graduated with a B.A. in English. While at LSU he became a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and met and married Merriam Hanesworth, his lifetime love and companion of 68 years. Shortly after beginning LSU, his college career was interrupted in 1943 by WWII, and at the age of 20 he spent two years as a B-17 bomber pilot with the Army Air Corp, serving as Lieutenant. When he returned to LSU in 1946-47, his dreams materialized when he was the SEC champion in pole vaulting and javelin, the National AAU Triple Jump Champion and placed 3rd in the National AAU Decathlon, as well as other national honors. Concurrently, he was chosen to be on one of the first five-man All-SEC basketball teams, in addition to the prestigious Helms Foundation All American basketball team.

Bobby considered LSU coach Harry Rabinhorst to be one of his truest mentors. He was named LSU's Best All Around Athlete in '47. Bobby went on to play pro basketball for the Tri-City Blackhawks and the Montgomery Rebels for several years. He was inducted into the LSU Hall of Fame in 1978 followed by induction to the Louisiana Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2009, Bobby was chosen to be LSU's "Living Legend" at the SEC Tournament, which he considered a very exciting experience. Until 2007, he conducted basketball camps for high schools throughout Louisiana to help students improve their skills in shooting, which he passionate about.

Bobby was an avid fisherman, golfer and hunter and loved reading poetry and Shakespeare. He had friends from all walks of life and never met a stranger. He always had great stories to tell, along with a joke or two. He was affectionately called the "Magic Man" because of his unique ability to perform card tricks and balancing acts.

Those left to cherish his memories in addition to his wife Merriam are his son Bradley Hanesworth Lowther of Baton Rouge, daughter Martha Merriam Burns and husband Michael Eugene Burns of Pearland, TX, seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his son Robert Carswell Lowther, Jr.

His generosity to all and love for his family and all people will remain in our hearts forever.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 3701 Pender Drive, Suite 400, Fairfax, VA 22030.