James Meredith Lower

James Meredith Lower, age 92, went to his eternal reward on Sunday, February 10, 2013. He entered the world on October 23, 1920, on the family farm in Clearspring Township of LaGrange County, Indiana. He was born to Harry A. Lower and Ruth Peck Lower in the same bedroom in which his father had been born 36 years earlier. He graduated from Topeka High School, Topeka, Indiana, in 1937 and from Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, Illinois in 1941. On January 28, 1942, he married Mildred Ann Hoffman, daughter of Dr. & Mrs. Robert K. Hoffman of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Lower pastored Congregational churches in Iowa from 1942-1954. In 1953 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa). He taught junior high school and was an elementary school principal in Cedar Falls, Iowa, 1954 – 59. He received a Master of Arts degree in Education in 1958 from ISTC. Jim moved his family to Wheaton, Illinois to become Assistant Dean of Men at Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, Illinois, where he served from 1959 until 1963. In 1967 he completed a Doctor of Education degree from Northern Illinois University. He finished his career as Professor of Education at Wheaton College, 1965 – 88 and chaired the Social Sciences Division from 1974 – 80. Jim was an active member of the Wheaton Bible Church and put his faith into action by volunteering at Christian ministries throughout his life. He and Mildred had three sons and two daughters.