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Robert E. Lowe, Jr. wore many hats.  He was a husband, father, teacher, musician, and community advocate to name just a few.  The son of Gayle and the late Robert Lowe Sr., Lowe graduated from Wirt County High School in 1977.  After graduating he continued to West Virginia University where he played the trombone in the marching band and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in music education. 

Lowe took every opportunity to share his love of music with others.  He assisted the band program at Wirt County High School as well as mentored several young aspiring musicians.  In 2001, Lowe was elected to the Wirt County Commission.  He is recognized as the longest continuous serving Wirt County Commissioner to date.  In addition to his duties as a Commissioner, he also operated a sawmill for many years.

Robert passed away on August 3, 2019 at the age of 60.  To honor Lowe’s memory and his love of music, his family established the Robert E. Lowe, Jr. Memorial Scholarship fund with the Little Kanawha Area Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation.  This fund will forever award scholarships to graduating seniors from Wirt County High School who plan to pursue a degree in a music or arts field of study. 

Lowe is survived by his wife, Cindy Lowe; two children, Matt and Kristina Lowe; and brother, Richard Lowe.

Individuals who would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support this new fund are encouraged to send a check made payable to the PACF with “Robert Lowe Memorial” on the memo line to:  PACF, PO Box 1762, Parkersburg, WV 26102. Donations may also be made online through the Foundation's website.  Individuals wishing to learn more about this fund can call the Foundation at 304.428.4438.

Picture captions: 

(top)  Robert E. Lowe, Jr. 

(bottom)  Robert Lowe's children, Kristina and Matt Lowe

The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation and Regional Affiliates of Doddridge County, Ritchie County, and the Little Kanawha Area (PACF) is currently accepting applications for grants for the fall cycle of its Community Action Grant Program.  The Foundation’s application process is online; the application deadline is midnight on September 15. Organizations apply to the Foundation and/or any of the affiliates on the same online application form, the Foundation’s Community Action Grants Application.  To access the online application form.

To be considered for a Community Action Grant, an applicant must be a private, nonprofit organization, tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a public institution. Either the applicant or program to be funded must be located in the Foundation’s eleven-county geographic service area (Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood counties in West Virginia, and Washington County, Ohio).  Priority counties for Foundation grant support are:  Wood, Wirt, Doddridge, Ritchie, Roane, Calhoun, and Gilmer counties.

The PACF continues to prioritize support for capital and equipment projects, new program development, capacity building, and operating support needs. Within these focus areas, the Foundation also will give special consideration to projects that build a strong, resilient, and inclusive community, including projects that address ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impact and recovery, substance use disorders and related community impact, and the advancement of an inclusive community and/or the elimination of racism and bias.

Submitted applications are considered for support from a wide variety of grant funds that the Foundation manages available to support charitable projects throughout the region.

The Foundation’s grantmaking guidelines provide additional information on eligibility and priorities for all types of grants; visit the Foundation’s website at www.pacfwv.com/Grants to access the grant guidelines and application form. For more information, contact Marian Clowes at 304-428-4438 or info@pacfwv.com.