Lowell Russell Flora was born February 16, 1924 on a farm near Quinter to Norman and Lizzie (Delp) Flora, 7th of 10 children. He passed away on October 28, 2016 at the Gove County Long Term Care at the age of 92 with his wife Cora and daughters at his side.
Lowell grew up in the Quinter area, graduated from Quinter High School in 1942. Lowell attended Fort Hays State College for one year then took a job in San Diego as a dock worker for the U.S. Naval Air Station. Lowell enlisted in the U.S. Marines in 1944. He was sent to the Marshall Islands and then to Guam where he learned to be a cook. From there he was sent to Iwo Jima to secure the island. He had medals for Expert Rifleman & Marksman. He was responsible for preparing the food and hauling it to the men at the front lines. 1945 he was sent to China for 6 months and then on June 14, 1946 was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps with the rank of Lance Corporal. Upon returning to Quinter he worked at the Coop, assisted in the construction of the Sheridan County Dam and farmed with his dad. During this time he received his pilot’s license for small planes which he utilized to swoop over the Bittel family farm and impress his sweetheart.
October 21, 1950 he married Cora Evelyn Bittel at St Michael Catholic Church in Collyer. They moved to the Flora farm seven miles northeast of Quinter where they raised their daughters and farmed until 2008. Lowell also worked for the Union Pacific Railroad and was a custom wheat harvester in Oklahoma, South and North Dakota. Lowell’s love and conservation of the land was evident in the care of his crops of wheat and irrigated corn, cows and calves and pigs he raised.
He was a member of the American Legion where he served as commander for 2 years and was part of the honor guard. Lowell was a member of the 2012 Honor Flight to the World War II Memorial. This fulfilled a dream of his to go to Washington D.C. to see the WWII Memorial. He belonged to the Knights of Columbus, St. Michael Catholic Church in Collyer and after moving into Quinter, was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Park, Kansas.
Lowell is survived by his wife Cora, of 66 years and 3 daughters, Gayleen Bernal and husband Jesse, Garden City; Coleen Tummons and husband Dwight, Quinter, and Mickie Mason and husband, David, Mulvane. 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Rosa Pyles, Denver; Sara Lee Bentley, Shields, Angie Fishburn and husband Al, Lawrence and brother Sylvus and wife Martha, Roanoke, West Virginia. Brother in-law Charles Bittel and wife Pat, Blue Springs, Mo. He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Norma Kilpatrick, Sue Demarteau, and Dorothy Reinicker; and two brothers, Samuel and D. Allen Flora.
Lowell will especially be missed by his family and the staff of the Gove County Medical Center Long Term Care and Hospital. He loved being called Mr. Wilson, which was part of his sense of humor and grin that brightened their day. He also loved being kissed on his bald head by his grandchildren. He was a loving father and grandfather, farmer and cattleman, hunter, gardener and was extremely patriotic and loved his country like the land he cared for.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, November 4, 2016 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Park. Burial will be in the Baker Township Cemetery, Quinter with military honors provided by the United States Marines.
Visitation will be Thursday evening, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a parish vigil to follow at 7:00, at the funeral home in Quinter.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Gove County LTC to be used for a resident blanket warmer. Checks made to the organization may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, Quinter, KS 67752. Condolences may be sent by signing the guest book at www.schmittfuneral.com.