Ecclesiastes 3:1:  "There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens:  a time to be born and a time to die.

On June 13, 2024, Carl Duane Lowell, at age 87, died after a courageous battle with Parkinson's.   The world has lost one giant gentleman of a man, truly a man of "all seasons".

Duane was born on December 18, 1936, in Delta, Colorado to Carl and Carrie (Hall) Lowell.  In the early 1940's, in pursuit of work to support the war effort, his family moved to Pasco, Washington and then to Tacoma, Washington where he lived in the tough Salishan projects and then settled into his childhood home on McKinley Avenue. Duane's lifetime incredible work ethic was evident when at age 10 he started his own shoe shining business at Ft. Lewis; however, the Provost Marshall shut that down (I am sure with a chuckle).

Duane attended Lincoln High School (Class of 1955).    He was an exceptional athlete especially on the football field where he became an All-State End and Defensive End on a state championship team and won numerous All-City honors.  Duane's Coach Norm Mayer took on a father figure in his life and would remark Duane was the hardest worker he had ever seen and was worried he would not have a team left because Duane would hit so hard in practice.  Duane was also a standout All-City baseball player and was offered a pro contract with the Chicago Cubs.  After weighing his options Duane chose to attend the University of Washington (UW) on a football/baseball scholarship (he was recruited by former Lt. Gov. Johnny Cherberg) and majored in Business Administration.

Duane played for Coach Darrell Royal and Coach Jim Owens and lettered three seasons, starting at End and Defense End (in those days you played both ways) and he was Co-Captain for the 1958-59 season.   He won the 1958 Football Student/Athlete Award and was identified in the 1957 College Football edition of Sports Illustrated as a player with "exceptional talent".  At the UW Duane was president of his Sigma Nu fraternity and enrolled in the US Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and earned the rank of Captain after several years of reserve service.   After graduation in 1959, Coach Owens asked him to be a Graduate Assistant Coach for the 1960 Husky football team that went on to win the National Championship and Rose Bowl.  While working as a graduate assistant he also worked on, and completed, a Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA).

Duane married Colleen Lowell (Reis) in 1961, and they had two sons:  Greg was born in 1963 and David in 1966.  In 1961, Duane decided to pursue a career in teaching and coaching.  He became the Head Football Coach at Bothell High School and taught history and economics. In 1965, he moved onto Shoreline Community College where he coached baseball, and as the Head Football Coach started their football program.  He also became a professor of Economics at Shoreline Community College.  In early 1970, he took a sabbatical from Shoreline to move to Eugene, Oregon where he earned his Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Oregon.

From 1975 to 1977 Duane was the Superintendent of the Orting School District while commuting from Bothell where he had settled his family.  In 1977, he became the Superintendent of the Anacortes School District and held that job until 1991.  Duane won numerous awards over his career, the most notable of which included:  the 1991 Superintendent of the Year from Western Washington University (WWU), the Washington State School Administration Lifetime Achievement Award; and the Liberty Bell Award for community service/character.  Many of his peers have said Duane was an innovative educator who was ahead of his time.  He brought one of the first DARE programs into the State, he championed the Alternative Learners Center and Highly Capable Programs, and advocated for Cultural Education and Technology programs.

Duane retired in 1991 and moved back to his roots in Pierce County to get closer to family and friends.   He became reacquainted with high school friends and enjoyed his weekly rounds of golf at local courses.  He also worked part-time at Pierce Community College as a professor, at Fort Lewis (teaching soldiers remedial math), and was a part-time Professor at Western Washington University (teaching candidates wanting to get their Superintendent or Principal credentials).  In 2008, Duane was put in the Pierce-County Hall of Fame for his football accomplishments.

Duane was a loving and supportive father. Despite his busy schedule, he was always there to watch and cheer on his two sons at their numerous sporting events.  In 2017, he and Colleen moved back to Skagit Valley to spend time with their cherished grandchildren.  He loved watching their sports and activities and truly was their biggest, and most supportive, fan.

Duane and Colleen had a beautiful nurturing loving marriage and were true soul-mates for over six decades.

Duane quietly carried an abiding faith in God throughout his lifetime.  He was well-read, exceptionally intelligent, and was a compassionate listener.    Duane was unapologetically honest in all endeavors; and you always knew where you stood with him.   He disliked politics.   He was the leader of our family, and his death will leave a loss to our family that words will never be able to convey.  The life lessons he exhibited by the right way he lived life—inspire his two sons daily.

Duane is survived by wife Colleen; son Gregory and his wife Marianne Lowell; son David and his wife Rebecca Lowell; brother Jack McFarland and grandchildren (Jake, Lyla, Emma, Jackie and Jenna).  He was predeceased by his parents and sisters Barbara Satterlee and Donna Traxler.

Duane was elegantly laid to rest on June 19, 2024, in a private family ceremony filled with love and remembrance at Calvary Chapel in his hometown Tacoma, Washington.  When we all gathered for a teary goodbye, his last request was paraphrasing 1 John 4, 7-10:   "Take care of each other, love each other and God."

Please share your thoughts of Duane and sign the online guest register at www.hawthornefh.com

Arrangements are under the care of Hawthorne Funeral Home, Mount Vernon, WA