Edward Lowry, 71, aided veterans with issues

Edward J. Lowry, 71, of Langhorne, founder of a center in Philadelphia that provided training and counseling services to thousands of military veterans and operated transitional housing for homeless veterans, died at home Sunday, April 12, of pancreatic cancer.

Mr. Lowry, a Vietnam War-era veteran, in 1980 founded the Vietnam Veterans Multi-Service Center, now Philadelphia Multi-Service & Education Centers Inc.

The organization operates programs out of a five-story facility at Fourth and Race Streets in Center City, as well as transitional housing for men and women on the grounds of the Coatesville VA Medical Center.

"He was passionate about serving veterans, and he instilled that in all of us," said daughter Allison.

Mr. Lowry was born and raised in Kensington, and graduated from North Catholic High School in 1962.

He grew up at Lee Street and Allegheny Avenue, and his future wife, Patricia Halligan, grew up at B and Tioga Streets. They married in 1967.

He volunteered for the Army and served from September 1963 to September 1965. He briefly served in Vietnam in a noncombat role.

Mr. Lowry joined the Philadelphia Police Department in 1966 and worked as a police officer until 1974, when he retired with a service-connected disability.

He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Temple University and a master's degree in education from the College of New Jersey.

He worked as director of veterans affairs at Bucks County Community College, and in that role Mr. Lowry saw a need to open the multiservice center, because veterans were not getting the help they needed from the government, his wife said.

In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by another daughter, Patricia; sons Edward Jr. and Michael; and eight grandchildren.

A viewing is scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at Kirk & Nice Funeral Home, 333 County Line Rd., Feasterville. A Funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Friday, April 17, at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic Church, 1900 Meadowbrook Rd., Feasterville. Interment will be in Our Lady of Grace Cemetery.

Donations may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, "Tim's Troop," 2004 Sproul Rd, Suite 2008, Broomall, Pa. 19008. The family selected the charity in honor of a nephew with cystic fibrosis whom Mr. Lowry called his hero when he was battling cancer.