Obituary of Michael Craig Lowe

Michael Craig Lowe, 80, of Sun City West, Arizona, passed away on September, 25, 2022, surrounded by loved ones, after a difficult battle with Lewy Body Dementia. Mike was born on July 24, 1942 to Judson Nathaniel Lowe, and Joyce Leland Johnson, in the small town of Colfax, Washington. Mike met Connie Birr in 1958 when they were juniors in high school. Mike was a National Merit Scholar and star baseball pitcher during high school. Mike and Connie became high school sweethearts and were married in 1961. Mike and Connie had four children, Laurie Lowe Ellard, Jamison Lowe Higgins, Todd Michael Johnson Lowe and Robert Michael Judson Lowe. After Mike graduated from Colfax High School in 1960, he pursued a degree in Zoology at Washington State University, and then earned his Master’s of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Pharmacology at the University of Washington. He then worked in medical research for the next forty-one years. During the course of his career he worked at the University of Washington, and the National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). Following appointments from NIH as Predoctoral and Postdoctoral trainee, Mike was appointed as a Presidential “Cancer Expert” by President Jimmy Carter. Mike also took part in the first ever attempt to use gene therapy to cure children with genetic disease. He later left the government and worked as a scientific consultant for several private businesses and government agencies. Mike was passionate about his work and loved his career. Mike retired in 2007, after forty-one years in the field. While retired, Mike had time to travel, play golf, visit with family and work on genealogy. He completed a book on his family history, tracing the family lineage nine generations back, and built a database containing over 3,900 names. Mike was predeceased by his parents, and his three brothers, Larry, Bradley and Terry. He is survived by his loving wife Constance Rita Lowe; his brother Gary; his two half-brothers, Rick and Kim; his four children Laurie (Stuart) Ellard, Jamison (Timothy) Higgins, Todd (Renee) Lowe, Robert (Gina) Lowe; his eight grandchildren Amy Talvac, Paul Higgins, Madelyn Higgins, Alec Lowe, Ryan Lowe, Alina Lowe, Annalise Lowe, Connor Lowe; and two great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Lewy Body Dementia Association (lbda.org).