In Memoriam: Todd Lowry, Professor of Economics Emeritus Lowry taught at W&L for more than 35 years.

W&L News Office
April 14, 2023

Stanley “Todd” Lowry, professor of economics emeritus, died in his home in Lexington on April 10, 2023. He was 95.

Born in Laredo, Texas, Lowry experienced an accident in childhood that left him legally blind. However, he did not let the disability keep him from continuing his education.

Lowry, who left home at age 15 with a seeing-eye dog, received a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and law degree from the University of Texas. He then attended Louisiana State University, earning a master’s degree and doctorate in economics.

Lowry began his professional career in academia in 1958 at East Carolina University, where he taught for one year. He joined the Washington and Lee faculty as an assistant professor of economics in 1959. He was promoted to associate professor in 1967, and then to full professor in 1974. He retired from W&L in 1995.

In addition to teaching, he conducted research under grants from the Ford Foundation, the American Philosophical Society, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Virginia Endowment for the Humanities, among others. His research interests included the influence of ancient, medieval and Renaissance thought on modern economics.

Lowry wrote numerous articles on environmental and natural resource economics, business law, and early economic thought. He was also the author of “The Archaeology of Economic Thought: The Classical Greek Tradition” and the editor of “Pre-Classical Economic Thought: From the Greeks to the Scottish Enlightenment.”

Lowry was the book review editor for the History of Political Economy, a quarterly professional journal, for more than 20 years. He was also a member of three professional societies, including the History of Economics Society, for which he served as president from 1990-1991. In 2001, the society named Lowry a distinguished fellow.

Lowry stayed active even in retirement. In 2009, he delivered a paper at the international Workshop on Mathematical Economics at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. Along with economics, forestry was both a professional and personal interest for Lowry. In addition to publishing his research on the topic, he planted 95 acres with trees on his farm near Rockbridge Baths.

Lowry is survived by his daughter, Lynn Lowry Leech, and son, Timothy Cole Lowry; five grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Faye Cole Lowry, who died in 2018.

Funeral services will not be held. However, the family invites friends to a celebration of Lowry’s life on May 6 from 1 to 5 p.m. at 6 Westside Court in Lexington. Memorial gifts can be made in his honor to Rockbridge Conservation.

Lowry’s full obituary was published in The News-Gazette.