Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: News

Media Credit: File - The Battalion

Whitley Lowry, an energetic, involved and spirited sophomore agricultural leadership and development major, died April 4 in Houston. Her parents said Lowry's death was caused by an aneurism.

Lowry was born on May 5, 1988, in Kingsville, Texas, to Willis "Bill" and Juli Lowry. She graduated from HM King High School in Kingsville in 2006.

Lowry had a true love for Texas A&M and upheld the qualities and standards instilled by the Aggie spirit and tradition.

"Texas A&M was one of her dreams. Her spirit for Aggieland and its community rivaled that of student presidents to old Ags of the past," said her brother and former A&M student, Wade. "I will miss Whit, but I know she will never be forgotten because Aggies live on."

From her first day in College Station as an Aggie, Lowry became involved on campus by joining Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority. She was a member of the 2006 pledge class and was the community service chairwoman for two years.

In addition to Zeta, Lowry was a member of the Conference of Student Government Associations for two years. She interned at the 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo through the college of agriculture and life sciences at Texas A&M.

Lowry cherished living with her two good friends from high school.

"This year is my first year to attend Texas A&M, all thanks to this girl," said her roommate, Lydia Guerra, a sophomore agriculture leadership and development major. "I treasured every minute living with her in Aggieland and listening to her preach the traditions of A&M."

Her other roommate, Jerrell Schonefeld, said, "She will forever be in my heart, always loved and never forgotten. I know that she watches over me. Now maybe she will help me get a few A's."

During high school, Lowry enjoyed cheerleading and gave back to her community by instructing annual "Kiddie Camps" and cheerleading clinics for elementary students in the area.

She was there to offer a helping hand and was not only a role model to the young girls she taught, but to her fellow classmates and friends.

"Whitley was an inspiration to me in so many different ways - I have looked up to her from the moment I met her," said Sarah Sugarek, a high school classmate.

Lowry enjoyed spending time with her family and was very close to her friends.

"I will never forget our long talks, the laughs we shared, all of the Friday night football games, cheerleading camps, tumbling at Phil's, the Frio River, all the fun memories we had with her mother, tanning in her back yard, canoeing on the Hobb Valley River," Sugarek said. "The list goes on and on."

"There are those people that pass through your life and never really make a difference," said Steven Tays, a junior agriculture leadership and development major. "Then there are those people who truly make an impact and change your life forever. Whitley was truly one of those people. It definitely showed by the masses that came to honor her at her funeral."

Lowry is survived by her parents, her brother and sister-in-law Wade and Raegan Lowry of Montgomery, Texas; her grandparents, Bill and Ollie Lowry of New Braunfels, Texas; and F.J. and Connie DeKoch of Kingsville.

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