Rev. James A. Lowney, 73, a vice-president of the former St. Viator College in Bourbonnais, Illinois, died at Sacred Heart Sanitarium in Milwaukee on Wednesday evening, April 15, 1964, following a long illness.
Born in Butte, Montana, on July 28, 1890, Fr. Lowney entered the Viatorians at the young age of 13. He took his first vows in 1907 and was ordained in 1917.
Before ordination he pursued theology courses at St. Viator College in Bourbonnais, and at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he earned his master’s degree.
Fr. Lowney served as vice-president and professor of philosophy at St. Viator College and also at Columbus College in Chamberlain, South Dakota. For one year, he was on the faculty of DePaul University in Chicago, and for three years he served as pastor of St. Patrick Church in Kankakee, Illinois.
Since 1944 he had been assistant pastor at St. Viator Church in Chicago. While residing there, he served for 10 years at Ephpheta Center for the Deaf.
Visitation for Fr. Lowney took place Thursday evening, April 16, 1964 at the Theis Funeral Home in Chicago and on Friday, April 17, until the time of service at St. Viator Church.
A solemn requiem Mass was celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday April 17, by the Rev. John W. Stafford, provincial of the Chicago province of the Clerics of St. Viator. He was assisted by Rev. T.E. Fitzpatrick, CSV, and Rev. William Maloney, CSV. Rev. Edward V. Cardinal, CSV, preached the sermon.
Burial took place at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois where Rev. M.J. Ranahan, CSV, pastor of St. Viator Church, officiated.
Fr. Lowney is survived by two brothers, William and Joseph and one sister, Mrs. Catherine Whalen.
Taken from two newspaper obits – ‘The New World’ dated 4/24/1964 and a Milwaukee newspaper, exact source and date unknown