Family History

My family history has always been interesting to me, especially the Lowe side of the family. My Dad adopted me when I was sixteen and I have been proud of the Lowe name. Yesterday we had a historic home tour here in Grand Junction and the Lowe house was one on the tour. Since I was raised in Boulder, and my Dad has not been too close to his family, I never knew much about the Grand Junction connection, though I went to college here and have always had family from both Mom and Dad's side of the family here.

It seems the Lowe's were pretty prominent in Grand Junction. John and Iva Lowe bought a home at 1004 Ouray in 1911. Mr. Lowe was a prominent businessman and partner in McConnell and Lowe, a leading shoe store in the city. John Lowe died July 6, 1921 taken by the flu epidemic. He was well known enough that his obituary appeared on the front page of the Daily Sentinel. Iva, his widow married James W. Milne in 1927. The Milne family owned and operated Milne Transfer and Storage Co., which became Litton Transfer Co. Grandpa Milne died in 1964 and Grandma Milne died in 1973.

I never met her. She would be my great grandmother. Mom and Dad met in 1966 when Mom was eight months pregnant with me and they were both married to other people. Eventually their first marriages ended and they became a couple. They married when I was nine and I took the Lowe name. When I turned sixteen I had to take back my birth name or legally change my name for my driver's license. I chose to change my name forever to Lowe through adoption. I gave up the name for seven years while I was married and quickly took it back when my marriage ended. If I should marry again, which I've come close once and hopefully will marry again, I will keep my name. I was born a Conway, but have decidedly been a Lowe most of my life and I like the name.