Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. (August 27, 1893 – February 3, 1985) was an American insurance executive, National Guard officer, and political candidate from

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

. A veteran of the

Pancho Villa Expedition The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition, but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, U.S. Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the p ...

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, he is best known for his service as commander of several units in the

Florida National Guard The Florida National Guard is the National Guard force of the state of Florida. It comprises the Florida Army National Guard and the Florida Air National Guard. The United States Constitution charges the National Guard with dual federal and st ...

. Lowry served in the military for 38 years and attained the rank of

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

. Apart from his military service, he is remembered for his opposition to

racial integration Racial integration, or simply integration, includes desegregation (the process of ending systematic racial segregation). In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportuni ...

, on which he based his unsuccessful 1956 campaign for

governor of Florida A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

. A native of

St. Augustine, Florida St. Augustine ( ; es, San Agustín ) is a city in the Southeastern United States and the county seat of St. Johns County on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers, it is the oldest continuously inhabi ...

, Lowry was raised in

Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...

, where his father served as a member of the city commission. He was educated in Tampa, and was a 1914 graduate of

Virginia Military Institute la, Consilio et Animis (on seal) , mottoeng = "In peace a glorious asset, In war a tower of strength""By courage and wisdom" (on seal) , established = , type = Public senior military college , accreditation = SACS , endowment = $696.8 mill ...

. After graduation, Lowry began his long association with the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

by joining the Florida National Guard and organizing a new unit, Company H, 2nd Infantry Regiment, which he commanded as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

. Lowry served with his unit on the Texas–Mexico border during the

in 1916–1917. The 2nd Florida Infantry was federalized for wartime service as the 124th Infantry, and sent to France as replacement soldiers. Lowry served with the unit in the U.S. then went to France as commander of Company I, 331st Infantry. The Armistice occurred before his company saw combat, and he performed post–war occupation duty until returning home in early 1919. After the war, he participated in the Florida National Guard's reorganization by helping organize the

116th Field Artillery Regiment The 116th Field Artillery is a regiment of the Florida Army National Guard. Currently there are two battalions; 2-116th FA is fires battalion for the 53rd Brigade Combat Team, and 3-116th (HIMARS) is part of the 164th Air Defense Artillery B ...

, which he eventually commanded as a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

. Lowry also began a career in the insurance industry in the early 1920s, and was the longtime chairman of the board of the Gulf Life Insurance Company. In 1934, he was promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

as commander of the 56th Artillery Brigade, a unit of the 31st Infantry Division. Lowry was among the Florida National Guard members activated for

; he commanded the 31st Infantry Division Artillery, and participated in the

Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...

and

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

campaigns, for which he received the

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

and other awards. After returning to Florida after the war, Lowry aided in the state's post–war National Guard reorganization, and was assigned to command the 51st Infantry Division as a

. He retired from the military in 1952; in addition to receiving the

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...

, he received a state promotion to

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

on Florida's retired list in recognition of his many years of service. An ardent anti–communist and a believer in racial segregation, Lowry regarded the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s as an extension of a plot to spread communism throughout the world. In 1956, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for

. Running on the

single issue Single-issue politics involves political campaigning or political support based on one essential policy area or idea. Political expression One weakness of such an approach is that effective political parties are usually coalitions of faction ...

of maintaining school segregation, Lowry failed to gain much traction, and was defeated by incumbent

LeRoy Collins Thomas LeRoy Collins (March 10, 1909 – March 12, 1991) was an American politician who served as the 33rd Governor of Florida. Collins began his governorship after winning a special election in 1954, was elected to a four-year term in 1956 ...

, who went on to win the general election. In 1962, he made a run for the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

in a newly created Tampa–based district. Running on a segregationist platform, he lost the Democratic nomination to

Sam Gibbons Sam Melville Gibbons (January 20, 1920 – October 10, 2012) was an American politician from the U.S. state, state of Florida, who served in the Florida State House of Representatives, Florida State Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. ...

, who went on to win the general election. In retirement, Lowry continued to reside in Tampa. He died there on February 3, 1985, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Tampa.

Childhood

Lowry was born in

; his parents were Sumter de Leon Lowry Sr. (1861–1936), and Willie Miller Lowry (1862–1946). The family moved to Tampa when he was an infant, and the senior Lowry became a successful businessman. Lowry Sr. and his wife became active in a host of Tampa area civic causes and historical projects, including leadership roles in the

Sons of Confederate Veterans The Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) is an American neo-Confederate nonprofit organization of male descendants of Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the militar ...

and

Daughters of the Confederacy The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is an American neo-Confederate hereditary association for female descendants of Confederate Civil War soldiers engaging in the commemoration of these ancestors, the funding of monuments to them, ...

. Lowry Sr. was also an advocate for establishing a

city commission City commission government is a form of local government in the United States. In a city commission government, voters elect a small commission, typically of five to seven members, typically on a plurality-at-large voting basis. These commissione ...

government for Tampa; when his initiative succeeded in the early 1920s, he won election to the city commission and served from 1922 to 1928. Lowry Sr. also made an unsuccessful run for the

U.S. House The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

in 1932. The Lowry family's contributions to Tampa's civic life were recognized in 1925, when the city named a newly created city park Lowry Park in honor of Sumter Lowry Sr. The younger Lowry was educated in Tampa, and was a 1911 graduate of Hillsborough High School. He then attended the

(VMI), from which he graduated in 1914. Lowry was a standout student at VMI, serving as a cadet captain, starting on the football team, and serving as captain of the basketball team. At graduation, he was ranked first in his class of 75, which resulted in the offer of a commission in the

, which he declined.

Civilian career

Lowry's father was active in the insurance industry, and Lowry Jr. followed Lowry Sr. into the business He was a district agent for the National Life Insurance Company of Chicago and represented the

Aetna Aetna Inc. () is an American managed health care company that sells traditional and consumer directed health care insurance and related services, such as medical, pharmaceutical, dental, behavioral health, long-term care, and disability plans, ...

Casualty and Security Company and other insurers. Lowry served as president of the Victory National Insurance Company from 1921 until 1928, when it merged with the Gulf Life Insurance Company. He moved from Tampa to

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

in 1929, and came back to Tampa after returning to Florida following his

military service. Lowry remained with Gulf Life until 1959, and after selling a large portion of the company's assets to

Clint Murchison Jr. Clinton Williams Murchison Jr. (September 12, 1923 – March 30, 1987) was a businessman and founder of the Dallas Cowboys football team. A son of Clint Murchison Sr., who made his first fortune in oil exploration and became notorious for exploi ...

and John D. Murchison, he remained on the board of directors. Lowry was "exceedingly successful as a businessman" and his other ventures included real estate development in

and nearby states, and serving as chairman of the board for both Jacksonville's Bushnell Steel Company and

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

's Cuban American Metal Distributors. Lowry wrote two pieces for ''

Review of Reviews The ''Review of Reviews'' was a noted family of monthly journals founded in 1890–1893 by British reform journalist William Thomas Stead (1849–1912). Established across three continents in London (1891), New York (1892) and Melbourne (1893), t ...

'' in the early 1930s, in which he argued in favor of a proposed cross–Florida ship canal, "A Florida Ship Canal" and "A Canal Across Florida".

Military career

Early years

Lowry began his military career after his VMI graduation in 1914 by assisting in the creation of Company H, 2nd Florida Infantry, which he was elected to command with the rank of

. He served with his regiment on the Texas-Mexico border during the

of 1916–1917.

World War I

When the 2nd Florida Infantry was federalized for service in

, Lowry served with the newly designated 124th Infantry as commander of Company H during pre–mobilization training at

Camp Wheeler Camp Wheeler was a United States Army base near Macon, Georgia. The camp was a staging location for many US Army units during World War I and World War II. It was named for Joseph Wheeler, a general in the Confederate States of America's Army and ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. 124th Infantry soldiers were sent from Camp Wheeler to

Camp Mills Camp Albert L. Mills (Camp Mills) was a military installation on Long Island, New York. It was located about ten miles from the eastern boundary of New York City on the Hempstead Plains within what is now the village of Garden City. In September 1 ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

for embarkation to France as replacement troops for units already in combat, and as commander of the regiment's 2nd Battalion, Lowry was part of a small cadre that remained in the United States with the intent of receiving and training new recruits. In October, he deployed to France as commander of Company I, 331st Infantry Regiment, a unit of the 83rd Division. The

Armistice of November 11, 1918 The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...

ended the war before Lowry saw active combat, and he commanded his company during post–war occupation duty until January 1919, when he returned to the United States. He was mustered out of federal service at

Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia Fort Oglethorpe is a city predominantly in Catoosa County with some portions in Walker County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 10,423. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan St ...

in February and returned to Tampa.

American Legion founder

Lowry was an early proponent of the

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a non-profit organization of U.S. war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militi ...

, and when each state was requested to nominate individuals to serve as the national organization's official incorporators,

Herbert J. Drane Herbert Jackson Drane (June 20, 1863 – August 11, 1947) was a U.S. Representative from Florida. Born in Franklin, Kentucky, Drane attended the public schools of Louisville, Kentucky, and Brevards Academy at Franklin, Kentucky. He moved to ...

nominated Lowry to represent Florida, who then attended the Legion's first organizational meeting. The national organization recruited him to oversee creation of its Florida department, and he was chosen as the department's first adjutant, a post he held from 1919 to 1921. He was then elected commander of the Florida department, which he headed from 1921 to 1923.

Post–World War I

After the war Lowry was one of the organizers of the Florida National Guard's

. After commanding the regiment's 1st Battalion as a

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

, he commanded the Benjamin Field Military Post as a

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

, then commanded the regiment from 1923 to 1934 with the rank of

. In 1934 he was promoted to

as commander of 56th Artillery Brigade, 31st Division. In the 1930s and 1940s, Lowry authored several articles on military topics for professional journals. Among these wer
"The 116th Field Artillery Makes History"
('' The Field Artillery Journal'', Jan.–Feb. 1936, pp. 88–89) an
"Is This Perfection?"
(''The Field Artillery Journal'', Sep.–Oct. 1937, pp. 333–336).

World War II

During

, Lowry commanded the 31st Division Artillery. He led the organization during training at several posts in the United States before deploying to the

Pacific Theater The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

in 1944. Lowry's unit took part in the

and

campaigns against the Japanese, and returned home in early 1945. After returning to the United States, Lowry served as assistant commandant of the Infantry Replacement Training Center at

Camp Livingston Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...

, Louisiana until he was discharged from active duty following the end of the war. Lowry's wartime service was recognized with award of the

and

Post–World War II

From 1946 until his 1952 retirement, Lowry commanded the 51st Infantry Division as a

. The newly organized division was made up of units from Florida and

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, and Lowry commanded during its initial organization, equipping, and training. At his retirement, he received a state promotion to

(three stars) on Florida's retired list in recognition of his long years of military service.

Awards and decorations

In addition to the Distinguished Service Medal and Bronze Star Medal, Lowry's other decorations included the

Mexican Border Service Medal The Mexican Border Service Medal was a U.S. service medal established by an Act of Congress on July 9, 1918. It was awarded for service between May 9, 1916 and March 24, 1917, or with the Mexican Border Patrol between January 1, 1916 to April ...

, World War I Victory Medal,

American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces, established by , by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on June 28, 1941. The medal was intended to recognize those military service members who had served ...

Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal is a United States military award of the Second World War, which was awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945. The medal was created ...

, and

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The Wor ...

Distinguished Service Medal citation

The citation for Lowry's Distinguished Service Medal read:

Political views

Opposition to the United Nations, communism, and civil rights

Lowry's first political activity was his post–World War II opposition to the creation of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

. In addition, Lowry regarded the

civil rights movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

of the 1950s and 60s as part of an international plot to spread communism worldwide. As he expressed it in a January 11, 1956, address to the Duval County Democratic Executive Committee, just before he announced his candidacy for governor:

Our great nation was created by white men. It was shaped out of the customs and the culture of the white race by many generations of our people. It will continue to live as a white race, or it will perish as a mongrel race! ...Any white person knows that to mingle little white and colored children together in schools or playgrounds or pools means intermarriage, and soon! The mixing of the races in churches or movies or dance halls means mongrelization! The communists know this!

Opposition to school integration and campaign for governor (1956)

Lowry was described in a 1956 news article as a "popeyed patriot" who displayed a "rabid brand of racism". He ran for governor in 1956 on the

of maintaining school segregation, which had become an issue due to the 1954

Brown v. Board of Education ''Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka'', 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segregat ...

decision. He was supported by the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...

, but his "principal supporter" was Florida businessman Ed Ball. According to contemporary accounts, Lowry was "responsible for injecting the segregation question into the

956 Year 956 ( CMLVI) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Emperor Constantine VII appoints Nikephoros Phokas to commander of the ...

campaign" and "saw desegregation as part of the 'international Communist conspiracy." He attacked one candidate, former governor

Fuller Warren Fuller Warren (October 3, 1905September 23, 1973) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 30th governor of Florida. Early life and education Born in Blountstown, Florida, he attended the University of Florida in Gainesvil ...

, for allowing black guests in the governor's mansion, and published a picture of the current governor

, who Lowry claimed "caught the Moscow train shortly after World War II", shaking hands with a black man. Lowry broadened his platform as the campaign went on, including "roads...school facilities...tourists...industry" but continued to argue that integration "will create the biggest economic disaster in the history of Florida"; and continued segregation was "the greatest issue before the people in the last 100 years". Collins dismissed Lowry's candidacy, saying that "Lowry was a man 'who admittedly knows nothing of the vast problems and issues with which he would be confronted in this important office, a man who pitches his entire campaign on his ability by lies and misrepresentations to incite hate and anarchy and disorder and violence.'" In an election that was watched nationally for signs of moderation on race and civil rights as a viable approach, Collins demonstrated its strength by soundly defeating Lowry in the Democratic primary and going on to win the general election.

Campaign for Congress (1962)

In 1962, Lowry was a candidate for U.S. Representative in the newly created 10th Congressional District. Running on a segregationist platform, Lowry finished second of five candidates in the Democratic primary, which advanced him to a runoff against first–place finisher

. Gibbons was solidly liberal, while Lowry was backed by conservatives from across Florida. The other three primary candidates all endorsed Gibbons, who went on to defeat Lowry in the runoff and win the seat.

Continued political activity

After his Congressional campaign, Lowry organized and financed the Florida Coalition of Patriotic Societies. This organization created and distributed materials warning about the dangers it perceived in communism and the

, which it argued were attempting to eliminate U.S. sovereignty and establish a single worldwide government. Lowry authored some of these works himself, including 1965's
America's Book of Infamy
', a pamphlet form of an

open letter An open letter is a Letter (message), letter that is intended to be read by a wide audience, or a letter intended for an individual, but that is nonetheless widely distributed intentionally. Open letters usually take the form of a letter (mess ...

he wrote to President

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

detailing over 100 supposed insults to the honor of the United States, and demanding that the United States retaliate or risk losing its standing in the world. Lowry was also active in other right–wing organizations, including the

John Birch Society The John Birch Society (JBS) is an American right-wing political advocacy group. Founded in 1958, it is anti-communist, supports social conservatism, and is associated with ultraconservative, radical right, far-right, or libertarian ideas. T ...

, the Christian Crusade of

Billy James Hargis Billy James Hargis (August 3, 1925 – November 27, 2004) was an American Christian evangelist. At the height of his popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, his ''Christian Crusade'' ministry was broadcast on more than 500 radio stations and 250 te ...

, the Federation for Constitutional Government, and the

Liberty Lobby Liberty Lobby was a far-right think tank and lobby group founded in 1958 by Willis Carto. Carto was known for his promotion of antisemitic conspiracy theories, white nationalism, and Holocaust denial. The organization produced a daily five-min ...

Retirement and death

In retirement, Lowry continued to reside in Tampa. He maintained an interest in state government as a member of the Florida Canal Authority. He was also active in efforts to improve Tampa and preserve his family's legacy, including purchasing an elephant in 1960, which he donated to the

Lowry Park Zoo ZooTampa at Lowry Park (formerly known as Lowry Park Zoo or Lowry Park Zoological Garden) is a nonprofit zoo located in Tampa, Florida. In 2009, Lowry Park Zoo was voted the #1 Family Friendly Zoo in the US by Parents Magazine, and is recognized ...

. Lowry and other family members also established several charities that work to better Tampa, including the Sumter & Ivilyn Lowry Charitable Foundation, the Sumter L. Lowry Foundation, and the Lowry Murphey Family Foundation. Among other endeavors, the Sumter L. Lowry Foundation maintains Mount Lyn Lowry, a mountain and mountaintop memorial to Lowry's daughter in

Haywood County, North Carolina Haywood County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 62,089. The county seat and its largest city is Waynesville. Haywood County is part of the Asheville, NC Metropolitan Statistical ...

. Lowry died in Tampa on February 3, 1985, and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Tampa.

Legacy

Lowry was the recipient of the

honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...

of Doctor of Humanities from

Trinity College of Florida Trinity College of Florida is a private interdenominational evangelical Bible college in Trinity, Florida. It was founded in 1932. History The institution was founded as Florida Bible Institute in 1932, in Temple Terrace by Dr. William T. Wa ...

, which was awarded in 1966. In 1974, Tampa's

Civitan International Civitan International, based in Birmingham, Alabama, is an association of community service clubs founded in 1917. The organization aims "to build good citizenship by providing a volunteer organization of clubs dedicated to serving individual an ...

Club named Lowry the city's "Man of the Year". In announcing the award, the club's spokesman said Civitan selected Lowry in recognition of his many years of service to the community, including his military experience, civic and charitable efforts, and work to promote patriotism and anticommunism. Lowry was named

's Distinguished Alumni for 1974. He also endowed VMI's Sumter L. Lowry Award. VMI presents an annual award, The

Society of the Cincinnati The Society of the Cincinnati is a fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of military officers wh ...

Medal, to a top performing cadet, and Lowry was the 1914 recipient. VMI's Lowry Award is one of several that provide a cash prize to the recipient of the Cincinnati Medal. In addition, Lowry was the creator of the Florida National Guard's Lowry Award, which is presented annually to the organization's top company grade officer (captain or lieutenant). Lowry also endowed the Lowry Freedom Award at the

University of Tampa The University of Tampa (UT) is a private university in Tampa, Florida. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. UT offers more than 200 programs of study, including 22 master's degrees and a broad variety of majors, ...

for presentation to each year's top performing

Reserve Officers' Training Corps The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC ( or )) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. Overview While ROTC graduate officers serve in all ...

cadet. In 1986, the Florida National Guard constructed an armory in

Plant City, Florida Plant City is an incorporated city in Hillsborough County, Florida, Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, approximately midway between Brandon, Florida, Brandon and Lakeland, Florida, Lakeland along Interstate 4. The population was 39,764 at ...

. The armory was named after Lowry in 1991 and underwent renovation in 2013 and 2014.

Family

In 1916 he married Elizabeth Bellamy Parkhill (1896–1942), and their children included: Helen (1917–1918); Elizabeth (Betty) (1920–1925); Sumter (1924–2000); and Ann (1934–2005), the wife of David R. Murphey III. In 1945, Lowry married Ivilyn Ingram (1903–1988), whom he met while he was stationed at Camp Livingston. They were the parents of a daughter, Ivilyn (Lyn) (1947–1962).

Notes

References

External links

*
Generals of World War II

Archival material

Lowry Papers
, Special and Digital Collections, University of South Florida Tampa Library (27 boxes).
Sumter Lowry Currency Collection
University of South Florida — Tampa Library.
Sumter L. Lowry scrapbook
Virginia Military Institute Library. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lowry, Sumter de Leon Jr. People from St. Augustine, Florida Politicians from Tampa, Florida Florida National Guard personnel Military personnel from Florida John Birch Society members United States Army generals School segregation in the United States Virginia Military Institute alumni Businesspeople from Tampa, Florida American businesspeople in insurance Florida Democrats Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) 1893 births 1985 deaths Florida politicians American conspiracy theorists Neo-Confederates 20th-century American businesspeople United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army generals of World War II National Guard (United States) generals 20th-century American far-right politicians American segregationists