Patricia Laruth Lowe

Patricia Laruth Lowe, age 88 of Wellsville, KS passed away Sunday, October 27, 2024 at Wellsville Health and Rehab. Memorial services will be 11:30AM, Saturday, November 16, 2024 at Wilson’s Funeral Home in Wellsville. Visitation will be held prior, from 10-11:30AM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Outreach International or Pheonix Hospice in care of Wilson’s, PO Box 486, Wellsville, KS 66092.

Pat Laruth Lowe was born March 5, 1936, in Kansas City, KS. She was the daughter of Franklin and Naomi Arlene (Babcock) Westhoff. She grew up in the Stanley area and graduated from Stanley High School in 1953, the only girl in a class of 10. In the days when Pat was in school, there were no programs for children that were considered to be intellectually “gifted”. She was moved up in her classes, but each time, became the top student of that class. In her graduating class of 10 students was a classmate who would later become her husband. On August 16, 1953, a short time after they both graduated, she married Robert Eugene Lowe. She was 17 and he was 19 years old. Bob was serving in the United States Air Force and they moved frequently. They eventually moved from California back to Kansas to be closer to family. She loved to travel with her husband, but they would also travel with their parents, their siblings and their own children and grandchildren. Her and Bob travelled from one coast to the other and also took one trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. They were happily married for 65 years before his passing in December of 2018.

Pat started her college education after her husband had settled into his career in Lawrence as a school psychologist and their youngest child was in grade school. She received both her undergraduate degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in teaching English, and her Master of Arts Degree in Learning Disabilities from the University of Kansas. Pat was a very proud Jayhawk. After graduating from college with her teaching degree, “Mrs. Lowe” began and ended her career at Wellsville United School District 289. She taught 8th grade and Junior English for WMS and WHS for 25 years, retiring in 1996.

Pat was a gifted musician, having taught herself how to play the piano and organ. She played both for her church every Sunday that she could. She also accompanied soloists at weddings, funerals and church services. She taught church choirs and led the music for Vacation Bible Schools at her own church. She was an ordained Elder of the Community of Christ church where she had been a member since she was 8 years old. Her faith was very important to her.

Pat liked to garden. She canned pickles, other vegetables and froze produce that she grew. She also had blackberry and raspberry bushes, grapevines, apple, pear, cherry and apricot trees, and loved to make jellies, cobblers, juices and other wonderful food items from her orchard.

Pat also loved to sew, quilt, read and write. Almost all of her children and grandchildren have at least one quilt that she made for them. She felt blessed to have all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and recognized how very special it was to be a great great-grandmother.

Pat is survived by her son, Patrick Lowe of Edgerton; daughter and son-in-law, Robbyn and Jeffery Van Horn of Baldwin City; daughter and son-in-law, Tamara and Jeffery Canterbury of Baldwin City; sister, Linda Finch of Rantoul; sister, Lorna Witcher of Wellsville; 8 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; 1 great great-grandchild; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Naomi and Franklin Westhoff and John Gross; her husband, Robert; and her sister, Barbara Flanner.

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