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By SCOTT NOVAK
Niles Daily Star
Some people are able to change the lives of others through being a high school coach.
Some do it while serving as an athletic director.
Mahlon Lowery was able to do it by being both.
Lowery died on Thursday morning at the age of 52 following a brief illness.
He was born in Indiana, however he graduated from Niles High School and earned an associates degree from Southwestern Michgan College and his master’s degree in Athletic Management from Western Michigan University.
Lowery made several coaching stops in his career, including a stint at Western Michigan as an assistant.
He was also an athletic director at Brandywine High School and at Brown Intermediate Schools in South Bend, where he also taught physical education.
Lowery also dedicated time to help organize tournaments, fundraisers and develop athletic events, equipment and facilities for youth sports – including the Brandywine Girls Softball field.
New Brandywine girls’ basketball coach Josh Hood worked along side Lowery as much as anyone in his 21 seasons of coaching basketball at a variety of levels.
“He has pretty much been there every step of the way for me,” Hood said in a telephone interview on Friday afternoon. “He helped me when I was at Coloma and when I was at Cass.
When asked what he remembered most about Lowery, Hood said it was his respect for the kids.
“His relationship with the kids was a good one because he always had their respect and they played hard for him because he respected them,” Hood noted. “He was hands down the most knowledgable guy in the area when it came to basketball. But what was most important was that he liked kids.”
Hood is preparing for his first season at Brandywine and said that Lowery was excited about the upcoming season as well.
“It’s going to be tough without him,” he said.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Janet Van Lear of First Presbyterian Church officiating.
The service will begin at 1 p.m.
The family will receive relatives and friends from 3-8 p.m. on Monday at the funeral home.