Lower Lawrence Colley Junior

Lower Lawrence Colley (Junior), of Marlow, Oklahoma, was born on November 3, 1936 in Severance, Kansas and went to be with his Lord on Saturday, September 28, 2024, in Duncan, Oklahoma. 

Visitation are planned for Thursday, October 10, from 11:00-noon at Whitt Funeral Home. Graveside services will follow at 2:00 P.M. at Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, OK, with Pastor Matt Chambers, Ray of Hope Church, officiating. 

Lower was preceded in death by his parents, Mable Henrietta (Jackson) and Lower Lawrence Colley, Sr. Lower’s parents were farmers for all their married life and Lower grew up doing (and loving) the same. After high school he joined the Army and part of his service was in Albuquerque where he met (at church) and married the love of his life, Marie Arden, in 1956. 

He spent most of his working life with TransWorld Airlines in Kansas City, MO. After TWA dissolved, he worked contract and was an airplane mechanic for the start up of “Fed Ex”. After that he worked for his oldest son, traveling and superintending the building of fast-food restaurants and other new businesses. When it was time to retire, Lower and Marie decided that moving to his wife’s hometown of Marlow was a good idea so they purchased the house where Marie was born, spent three years remodeling it themselves, and then retired in 1998. Shortly thereafter they found their beloved church home, Ray of Hope, then Lower discovered his real “purpose” in life: building “P.E.T.”s (Personal Energy Transportation) carts. (These hand-pedaled carts are built for people in third world countries who don’t have the ability to use their legs.) He spent eight wonderful years with other loyal volunteers building these carts. Using the “leftover scraps” of wood, he began to build tiny toy cars (over 2000) for children, which became his second purpose and continued to this day as they were his life!

Lower is survived by wife of 68 years, Marie Arden, of the home; six sons: Kenneth Eugene and wife Robin of Copper Canyon, TX, Michael Bruce and wife Pyong of Marlow, Paul Lawrence of Frankton, CO, Keith Arden of Marlow, Lower Douglas of Puerto Rico, and Christopher Robert of Los Angeles, CA; five grandchildren: Scott and wife Kristen, Jennifer and husband Alex Woods, Austin and wife Amanda, Kim Hee and husband Brendan Davis, and Lisa Marie; and eleven great-grandchildren: Asher, Ella, Cloe, and Tavish (children of Scott and Kristen), Cody and Ryan  (sons of Jennifer and Alex), Emma and Hailey (daughters of Austin and Amanda), and Jin Hee, Jae Hee, and Joseph (children of Kim and Brendan). He is also survived by his sister, Luetta and husband Larry McKee; numerous nieces and nephews; and cousin, Robert Jackson of Wallawalla, WA.

Memorial donations can be made in Lower’s name to Ray of Hope Church, PO Box 7, Comanche, OK 73529.

Online condolences can be made at www.whittfh.com