The Mosaic

BRUCE AND ANNA MARIE LOWE – ROYAL LANE BAPTIST CHURCH – SCHOLARSHIP FUND 
compiled by Patricia McNutt 
Graduation Sunday was a great way to begin in-person worship at Royal Lane Baptist Church. We honored some amazing young adults, celebrated seeing each other in person, and paid tribute to Bruce and Anna Marie Lowe. It seems appropriate to share some additional information on the legacy of the Lowes.

Bruce Lowe April 8, 1915 - October 29, 2014 (99 years)
Bruce was a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University (1936) and of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth (1946). He married Anna Marie in 1944 and they had two sons, Wayne and Woody. Bruce was a Southern Baptist minister for 70 years and pastor for 25 years. He served in World War II as an infantry captain and then as army Chaplain to African American soldiers.

He pastored churches mostly in Louisiana but resigned in 1965 because his racial equality views were rejected. He then worked as a Civil Rights Specialist for Health and Human Services until his retirement in 1994. In this role, he worked with hospitals and nursing homes to meet compliance standards for both African Americans and Americans with Disabilities. A Letter to Louise: A Biblical Affirmation of Homosexuality was written by Bruce in 2002. David Chapman, a former Royal Laner and member of Church of the Savior in Austin, established a website (www.GodMadeMeGay.com) to help expand Bruce’s ministry around the world. Bruce became an online chaplain to those struggling with their own identity and those struggling with family members identifying as gay. A Letter to Louise was written in response to a previous church member who was heartsick but believed her brother would go to hell because he was gay. He needed to reconcile the Loving God of his faith with the scripture’s condemnation of homosexuality.  So, he researched and studied and A Letter to Louise was the product of his commitment to comfort and minister to one broken heart. It has become a pathway to healing for many confused and broken hearts. His life was spent encouraging the acceptance and welcoming of the LGBTQIA community by Christian churches and supporting racial justice for all.

Anna Marie Lowe July 18,1917 - February 4, 2013. (95 years)
Anna Marie was raised on a farm in Bradley, Arkansas and rode to school on a horse with her big brother. She graduated from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia (1946) and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She was a gifted musician and began sharing her talent when she played the piano for her Baptist congregation at eleven years of age. She was an organist at her husband’s pastorates. Anna Marie often accompanied soloist and choirs during her extensive musical career. She truly loved Royal Lane and was loved by many. She was full of grace in word and deed.  

Bruce and Anna Marie Lowe and Royal Lane Baptist Church
The Lowes were members at Royal Lane for over 30 years. The Lowes were married for almost 70 years and their love for each other was often on display at Royal Lane. They were together at almost all church functions and they were always holding hands and smiling at each other. As they progressed in age, Anna Marie quit driving but Bruce with her as the “front seat driver” continued driving and never had an accident when she was by his side. But when she wasn’t with him, he always had trouble. They were an inseparable team.

Paulette Harrison, Nancy Ferrell, and Cookie Stokes, dear friends of the Lowes, and other Royal Lane members describe them in these terms; “encouragers, Barnabas, insightful, loving, grandparents to all of Royal Lane, foundational, studious, funny, musical, brave, risk takers, courageous, and progressive beyond their time.” They were the perfect example of people “living and doing God’s work”. They both supported education through encouragement of those seeking degrees. Additionally, their son, Wayne, had a 50 year career as an elementary school teacher and then became a therapist and director of a counseling center in California. For Nancy Ferrell, Bruce played an instrumental role in the completion of her doctorate by reading and editing her dissertation. 

They also supported learning by encouraging participation in mission trips, including payment of mission fees for those wishing to make a trip. Bruce took vacation to help Woody build his house in the Northwest. Woody was a “mountain man” who could build and/or fix anything, skills he learned from his father. They lived without electricity or water for a long time and built the house by themselves. The vacation/trip was a mission trip for Bruce and his son. Throughout their lives, the Lowes pushed and supported human rights beyond the comfort zone of most churches through their ministry work. They lived long, loving, principled, and remarkable lives and are often referred to as saints of Royal Lane.

The Bruce and Anna Marie Lowe Scholarship Fund
In 2012, based on a recommendation by Christine Nicolette-Gonzalez and Harry Wooten, the Royal Lane general scholarship fund was renamed in honor of Bruce and Anna Marie Lowe. Scholarships ($500 minimum) are available through an application and interview process to “children of Royal Lane” who are current high school seniors or present undergraduate students enrolled in, received admission to, or have an application pending at an accredited educational institution. The designated scholarship fund is managed through the Education/Scholarship Committee with funds limited to providing scholarships. The fund is ongoing and is funded through annual donations from members and friends of Royal Lane Baptist Church.

During the last nine years, the designated Lowe’s scholarship fund has provided over $25,000 in 23 scholarships to children of Royal Lane. The first two recipients were Kevin Fallis and Blair Wooten followed by Elyse Glass, Anthony Hatcher, Summerlin Northrup, Chloe Clark-Soles, Steven Gonzalez, Bailey Brown, Sarah Rebecca Stokes, Scottie Gonzalez, Jordan Stubblefield, Jade Arnswald, Caleb Clark-Soles, Cody Collier, Brandon Green, Jayda Parrish, Michael Robinson, Candace Collier, Darrin Fleenor, Samantha Fleenor, Jonah Hammett, Melissa Robinson, and Peter Hart Stokes. Many of the family names of recipients are associated with well known, long-term members of Royal Lane and many of these recipients have grown up at Royal Lane.

The scholarship fund supported by the members of Royal Lane is a marvelous way to say thanks to the Lowes for their many contributions to the church and to promote educational opportunities for the children of Royal Lane. We are blessed by the lives and memories of the Lowes.

In 2021, we had six scholarship recipients which is the largest class ever. The Royal Lane family responded through record donations to the fund. On behalf of the Scholarship Committee, Patricia McNutt, Melissa Orwig, Garey Wisdom, and Barrett Wooten, we sincerely appreciate the support from the members listed below.

Joey & Rosa Belgard
Georgia Bradford
Jim & Steve Bush
Margaret Darden
Nate & Deanna Green
Sheryl Gambill
Scott & Christine Nicolette Gonzalez
Steve & Peggy Gooch
Paulette Harrison
John & Theresa Helms
Shirley James
Mike & Pam Keith
Phil & Kelley Keith
Laura Keller
Richard & Christin Lavery
Bruce Luedke
Donna Ledgerwood & Ruth May
Jennifer Maddox
Scott & Donna Wood-Martin
Patricia McNutt
Bettie Meachum
Jack & Judy Mullinax
Don & Patsy Meier
Karen Miller
Marilyn Munro
Matt & Melissa Orwig
Sarah Fuller Phillips
Robert Pullman
Tex & Jan Quesada
Rebecca & Ken Rempert
Michael Rogers
Matt & Liz Rowan
Kristine Ruddell
Tim Schaefer
Anne Sewell
The Dallas Foundation for Terry & Karen Simmons
Thad & Jamie Clark-Soles
Cookie Stokes
Dianna Stouffer
Blake Vickrey
Sharon Vickrey
Brett Washburn
Garey Wisdom