Norma Irene Lowder

Norma, a resident of Houston since 1953, devoted her life to music, both as a teacher and as a church organist. She taught at West University Elementary School, was counselor and choral director at Lamar High School, and served as principal at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Norma was active in the Sister Cities Program, taking students to and hosting students from Scotland, Norway, France, Japan and Taiwan. She was also an active committee member of the College Entrance Examination Board. Honoring her four decades in education, the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, in conjunction with the White House, conferred upon her the Distinguished Teacher in the Arts Award.

For 35 years, Norma served as children’s choir director and organist at Bellaire United Methodist Church. Named Organist Emeritus, she was invited to play the “Toccata,” from the 5th Symphony by Charles Widor, at BUMC’s 60th anniversary. She was a charter member and secretary of the National Fellowship of Methodist Musicians, area chairman of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, and author of numerous articles and four books. Norma received the Francis Asbury Award for her work with Methodist colleges and seminaries.

Norma remained active in retirement, arranging music programs at the University Place Retirement Community, where she resided until her death. The Texas Association of Homes and Services for the Aging honored her philanthropic work with the Volunteer Achievement Award in 2001. She also involved herself in missionary work in the Aleutian Islands and wrote two books chronicling the history of Methodism in the Aleutians. In 2000, both the Alaska Missionary Conference and the Texas Methodist Annual Conference recognized Norma for her work in Unalaska, a small island 800 miles southwest of Anchorage. Her support of the music program and its students at Houston Baptist University earned her the title Distinguished Mentor Emeritus. In addition, she generously contributed a rare folio volume on Chartres Cathedral to Moody Library. The climax of her donations was the Gilbert & Sullivan collection of books, scores, recordings and memorabilia, known as the Robert Linder Collection. In 2007, HBU awarded her an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.

Norma was preceded in death by her parents, Silas W. and Iva B. Means, of Akron Ohio, and her husband, Earle, who was Minister of Music at Bellaire United Methodist Church for nearly 30 years. Norma leaves behind a brother and sister-in law, Donald and Theresa Means, of Indianapolis, IN; nieces, Jennifer Marie Pope (Brian), of Waukesha, WI and Rebecca Marie Barnes (Maxwell), of Grand Rapids, MI; three grandnephews; and three grandnieces. She also leaves behind a brother-in-law, Rev. Charles Lowder, of Fairfield Glade, TN; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Jean Lowder, of Silver Spring, MD; a nephew, (Ret.) Captain Gavin Lowder (Sandy), of Queensbury, NY; nieces, Martha Lee Kimble (Richard), of Jamestown, NY and Alice Lowder Zetterstrom (Charles), of Saratoga Springs, NY; five grandnephews; one grandniece; and countless friends and generations of grateful students.

The memorial service is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 14th of October, at Bellaire United Methodist Church, 4417 Bellaire Boulevard, where Rev. Bill Davis and Rev. Jim Flagg are to officiate.

In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in memory of Mrs. Lowder may be directed to the Bellaire United Methodist Church Organ Fund, 4417 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire, TX, 77401-4399; the University Place Retirement Community Foundation, 7480 Beechnut St., Houston, TX, 77074; the Norma Lowder Scholarship Fund at Houston Baptist University, 7502 Fondren Rd., Houston, TX, 77074; or to the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Friends, Attn: Dr. Scott Allen, 4001 Stanford St., Houston, TX, 77006.