John Lowry Jr. ’48

John died at home Jan. 27, 2025, at age 98.

Born in New York City, he grew up in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and graduated from the Hotchkiss School in 1944. He then joined the Navy, where he was in the Navy V-12 program at Williams College and served aboard the USS Belleau Wood.

John entered Princeton in September 1946 and was a member of the Yacht Club. After one year in the engineering school, he left Princeton to join John Lowry Inc. the family construction business.

So began a 36-year career there, which included “a good number of additions to New York City,” he wrote in our 50th-reunion yearbook. These included many hospitals; studios for CBS, ABC, and Channel 13; and the NYU Law School, among others. After the early-1980s recession, he worked with Walsh Construction and with Beth Israel Hospital, as an in-house construction consultant.

Married in 1950, John and Mary settled in New Canaan, Conn., where they raised three children and were active in the community. They were married for 55 years, until her death.

In the class’s 50th-reunion yearbook, John noted, “Except for my long term, approximately 20 years, as treasurer of the Princeton Club of New Canaan and the most gratifying experience of seeing our son graduate with the Princeton Class of ’84, I have not really kept in touch with Princeton. I am, however, grateful for the time I spent there and hold Princeton in the highest esteem.”

John is survived by his wife of 18 years, Virginia Celaya; and children John III ’84 and Jane. Another daughter, Meg, predeceased him.