John Wharton Lowe III

He was born August 10, 1945, to John Wharton Lowe, Jr. and Katherine Morgan Lowe. Dr. Lowe retired in February from the University of Georgia faculty, where he was Barbara Lester Methvin Distinguished Professor of English for the last ten years. After receiving his PhD from Columbia University in 1981, he was on the faculty at Louisiana State University for twenty-five years before moving to Georgia. He also taught at Harvard University and St. Mary’s College (Indiana) and was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Munich, Germany.

Dr. Lowe is the author of numerous books and articles on American, Southern, and African-American Literature, especially "Jump At The Sun" and "Calypso Magnolia". He was the recipient of many national and international awards. He recently completed a landmark biography of his friend, the novelist Ernest Gaines. He was especially proud of his work with students and directed twenty-nine doctoral dissertations.

He is survived by his wife of over fifty years, June Conaway Lowe of Athens, GA, brothers Stephen T. Lowe of Charlotte, NC and James T. Lowe of Nashville, TN. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Chery Lowe Ransijn. Other survivors include his nieces, Lillian M. Ransijn and Anneke D. Ransijn, both residing in Pennsylvania.

The interment will be at Westview Cemetery, Atlanta, GA, Thursday, August 24, 2023 at 12:00 pm.

The memorial for Dr. John Wharton Lowe will take place on Saturday October 28, 2023, from 11:30 am -1:30 pm, in the UGA Chapel, 109 Herty Drive, Athens, Georgia. Friends, colleagues and former students will speak in the University of Georgia Chapel, followed by a catered reception on the adjacent North Lawn.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his name to UGA Foundation, or LSU Foundation, or to an organization of your choice.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.