Clem, Robert Andrew Lowery

Clem, Robert Andrew Lowery unexpectedly left this world on March 15th with his loving wife Donna by his side. They recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on July 8th, 2022 with the rest of their fairytale life: two beautiful daughters Courtney & Ashley and the most perfect grandchildren Parker & Presley.

Clem left us peacefully and was greeted by his mother Helen & father Snooks, brothers Jim (James) & one half of the twins Mick, his sisters Carol, Betty and Mainy (Romaine). He missed each one of them so deeply and broke a little inside each time one of them left him behind in recent years. Pap pap Fleesher stood off to the side of Helen with his pups Salt & Pepper in his cardigan pockets- just like Clem always remembered him. We like to think Baker Batovsky was there waiting to say “Heya Buddy, how ya doing?” and they filled each other in on everything they had missed since their last phone call. Lady & Sadie, Little Kitty, Gill, Annie and Ralphie sat there at the front of a long line of Clem’s lifetime pets like the good girls they all were once they heard his arrival would be sooner than they thought. Once he catches up with everyone, he will probably start looking for a great fishing spot to show us all when we meet up with him again.

He was born on November 1st, 1950 to the late John “Snooks” & Helen (Chernko) Lowery.  He grew up in Rowes Run spending his days as a Boy Scout, playing baseball, and causing mischief with his patch buddies. Clem loved to make his older siblings laugh and enjoyed reenacting Red Skeleton, Clem Kadiddlehopper inspired the lifetime nickname of Clem. He loved hunting and the outdoors in his younger days. After Clem and Donna were married they spent a brief time out in Highspire, PA during the 1970’s  with Clem’s siblings before moving back and residing in Smock, PA. Clem was cherished as a father-like figure by Donna’s siblings Billy, MaryAnn, and Krissy. He was always there for his mother in law Eva and all of her children.

Clem put his blood, sweat, and tears into his work as a coal miner for 26 years. He was a jack-of-all trades and spent sometime working at 3 Mile Island, surveying, bartending, and whatever else he could do to take care of his family over the years.

He showed his love by being a provider, a handyman, a pool guy, a cook, he was the laundry mat (he always did your laundry and he always had an endless stash of quarters on hand in his gallon whiskey jug), he was a babysitter, a t-ball coach, a go getter, the best snack and cooler packer and absolutely anything else we asked him to do. He never told us no.

Clem loved fishing. He always felt at ease on the water. His favorite spots included Hampton Beach, NH with his beloved nephew Stretch, the Susquehanna with his late brother Jim, the Cheat Lake with his longtime best friend Dave Hixon, and the Yough with his late pal Mike Fetsko.

He loved the Penguins and the Steelers and assured you that the best seat to watch them in was the one at his house. He loved westerns and old movies. Clem always had a radio playing somewhere or more recently his Alexa. His favorites included oldies and outlaw country.

Clem loved to laugh and tell you a story. Born a “patch hunky” he could BS with the best of them. He lit up every room and had a natural ability to draw you in. Everyone knew Clem. He was the guy who called to check in on you or to tell you the roads were getting bad and to be careful. He always made sure Donna had a tank full of gas the night before they went somewhere. He bought you the practical birthday and Christmas gifts you secretly loved and looked forward to like an emergency kit for your car, a flashlight, tires, and drills.

He drove his family bananas with his daily trips to Wal-Mart for…bananas that somehow always ended up costing him $40 more than he intended to spend.

Courtney, (his Courty) talked his ear off but she also brought him all his most favorite bundles of joy, Parker & Presley and his 2 goldendoodles Olive & Blue. He grinned from ear to ear when he met each one and welcomed them into his heart. He loved watching Parker tinker around with things just like he did. Presley was his little Pinkie Pie and she brought a smile to his face quicker than anyone could. They love their Guy Clem just as much as he loves them. Ashley, (his Addy B) and Clem gave each other a lot of grief— do you know what it’s like when 2 people are both always right? They both did. At the end of the day their butting heads was much deeper —they knew that they were exactly like each other hardworking and independent and show their emotions by doing anything and everything for those they love, and always having a good time while making people laugh. He will always be her Big Fish. Donna, (who he called Cook) was the luckiest of all, she had a special piece of his heart from the very first night he met her — he knew on their first date that he would marry her. He spent the last 50 years doing everything he could to make her happy and take care of her. We spent their 50th wedding anniversary talking about their lives before their kids, all of our fun beach vacations, stories of people who existed only in their words these days.  Donna was always begging Clem to let her take care of him for once . Donna doesn’t even realize how she took care of him everyday with the hardest job any of us could have had- to keep him here as long as she did after all of the aches and pains he has felt over the years from his numerous mining injuries. She was his most cherished catch of all and the one he never let get away. How’s that for the best fishing story an old fisherman could tell?

Clem was strong and he fought through everyday for all of us. He taught us that your family is the most important thing you have and that you are always mentally stronger than your body feels. His vessel here on Earth was tired but his soul remains in all of us.

He is survived by his wife, Donna Lowery. His oldest daughter, Courtney (Ben) Venick and their two children, Parker and Presley. His youngest daughter Ashley Lowery and the grand kitten she made him claim, Sam. His older brother John “Beeb” (Liz) Lowery, his sisters in law Rose (James) Lowery, MaryAnn Fowler & Kristina Fowler, and his brothers in law Paul (Carol) Vlasich & Frank (Romaine) Peskie. Clem had many nieces and nephews as well as their children that he kept in touch with regularly -he loved each and every one of you and hearing how all of you were doing in his phone catch-ups with you. He had many cousins that he loved to share stories about growing up as a kid with. He leaves behind many friends and neighbors who will all miss Clem.

His family is honored to have called him theirs. He was one of a kind and he will forever be cherished.

Clem’s wishes were to be cremated and scattered amongst his favorite fishing spots and places he visited over the years. In the upcoming months and years his family will honor that wish. It was also his wish to not have any services but his daughter’s believe that a guy like Clem doesn’t get to go out without one less gathering of his family and friends that meant the most to him. A celebration of his life will be announced shortly.

 In lieu of flowers, please share you fondest memories of Clem with his family and friends.

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