Helen Lowery, age 90, a resident of Wheaton, IL, died Saturday, February 12, 2011 at the DuPage Convalescent Center in Wheaton, IL.

Helen Ruth Bott was born on September 23, 1920, in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was the youngest of four children born to Stefan and Helena Bott, who immigrated to the United States from Hungary and Austria respectively in 1901, marrying in Chicago in 1902. When Helen was four, the family moved back to Chicago where Stefan was able to find work.

Her mother and father both sang beautifully, and her older sister, Frieda, also sang and often accompanied them, and her sister, on the piano. Their home was always full of music, and Helen started singing harmonies by ear at a young age. They attended The Chicago Gospel Tabernacle, founded by Paul Rader, and later pastored by Clarence Erickson. When Helen was 12, her Minister of Music, Rev. Merrill Dunlop asked her to join the choir, and she began her life-long service of praise to God, participating in the choir when The Heaven and Home Hour was being broadcast, and singing in duets, trios, and ensembles. During those years Helen, and two sisters, Madeleine Dantuma and Lorraine Sherman, also members of The Tab, formed The Temple Trio. They sang together for almost 40 years, ministering in many churches around Chicagoland, in the early days of Moody Bible Institute's "Sunday Night Sing," and at Swedish Covenant Hospital, where they sang in the hallways two Sundays afternoons a month. Helen also had a solo career, singing regularly at Moody Memorial and other churches, on WMBI with Bill Pierce and Dick Anthony, and other choral ensembles, and participating as a voice actor on Stories of Great Christians.

In 1944, Helen married Alvin Lowery. They had two children: James and Claudia. Alvin went to be with the Lord in 1982.

In 1986, Helen moved in with her daughter and son-in-law, Lee, at his invitation. She lived with them until a fracture in December, 2009 necessitated full-time care at DuPage Convalescent Center. The Lord had prepared a place for her, and received her into the Father's House on February 12, 2011, where she has now begun her second, and eternal service, singing and rejoicing in His presence.

Rejoicing imperfectly on this side of the Valley of The Shadow are James and Martye Lowery, their children Stephanie (Matt) and Jon (Sara); Helen's great-grandchildren Jackson and Elizabeth, Kaylee and Riley; and Claudia and Lee Gerwin, and their children Abigail and Bradley. As we consider God's faithful goodness to our mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, how can we keep from singing?

A memorial visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. until the time of a memorial service to be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at College Church in Wheaton, 332 E. Seminary Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187. Interment is private.

Memorial gifts may be directed to the account of Matthew and Stephanie Van Gorden at Village Missions, P.O. Box 197, Dallas, OR 97338.