Susie Lowery, 1995.

Title

Susie Lowery, 1995.

Description

This article profiles Susie Lowery on her 83rd birthday in 1995.

Creator

Marjean Torrence.

Date

July 12, 1995.

Text

On Tuesday, July 4, Mrs. Susie Lowery celebrated her 83rd birthday.
While talking with her on Tuesday evening in her home on Griffith Street, she said how proud and thankful she is to have reached the age of 83.
I asked her to tell me a little something about herself. She began talking so fast, I could hardly keep up.
Mrs. Susie was born in Huntersville in 1912. When she was 14 years old, she and her family moved to Davidson. Her education began at Huntersville Elementary and the Joe Reid schools. Later she was married to the late Rufus Lowery. They had one child, James William Lowery, now of Columbus, S.C.
Aunt Susie (as she is so affectionately called by everyone in this area), has always shown sympathy and love for the distress or suffering of others. After the death of her niece, who had eight children, all very young, aunt Susie took the children, ranging from ages 17 months to 15 years old, into their home and she says, by the help of God, friends, and neighbors, she and her husband were able to love and care for all of them. She will tell you, with a big smile on her face, "God spared me to see all of my children finish high school and three through college. My son, Oscar, was the first black student to attend Davidson College."
Out of their 52 years of marriage, she and Mr. Rufus took in a number of children, loving and caring for all of them.
We sometimes wonder where all her energy comes from. Frankly speaking, I think she just loves doing things for other people. She is a companion and friend to all.
Aunt Susie has been a very active member of Gethsemane Baptist Church. Presently, she serves as a member of the Davidson Progressive Women Club and is a participant in the Hot Meal Program. Aunt Susie says, I have 10 children, nine great-grandchildren and 17 great- grandchildren and I don't regret a minute of bringing them up and watching them become responsible adults.
She enjoyed working at Davidson College, especially in one of the Boarding Houses. Her favorite pastimes are cooking, working in her garden and doing different crafts.
When I asked her how many times had changed since her childhood, she immediately answered: "Back in my childhood, children obeyed their parents and other adults. If we would do something bad at someone's home, we got a spanking there and when we got home, most likely we would get another spanking." She said that back then children were not sent to church— they were taken to church, and knew how behave when they got into the church. Most of our toys were handmade. For instance, we would make Tom Walkers out of tin cans, made our own wagons, swings were made out of old car ties and pocketbooks out of inner tubes. We had lots of fun but we also had to work. I did everything on the farm a man could do: cut wood, plowed the field, rode horses, milked cows, and pulled and tied fodder. We would sometimes stay in fields from sunup to sundown.
Aunt Susie has been characterized as soft spoken, yet an ambitious, hard working individual in her church and community.
I enjoyed talking with her because she was very informative and delightful to talk with... She could get very serious, then have you laughing with her sense of humor.
Aunt Susie is one of our senior citizens who has been and always will be a pillar in the community.

Publisher

Mecklenburg Gazette.

Language

English.

Source

Davidson Archives and Special Collections.

Subject

Biography of Susie Lowery on her 83rd birthday.