salesman in the company, and during the last eight months of his life -when he was too sick to travel, the company let him work from home.

‘Lowder’ would call his customers and relay their orders to his office. His customers considered ‘Lowder’ a friend and were very loyal to him. They would wait for his telephone calls to place their orders. 

We had three children Quinette, Claudia, and Michael. Thankfully, Cliff Lowder lived long enough to enjoy his first two granddaughters -- we now have six granddaughters and one great grandson.

On January 1, 1955 we moved into our house in an area west of Orlando. The area was populated with veterans and their young families -- it was like a small town.  We had 33 good years together in that little house but after ‘Lowder’ died it was no longer a home and I sold it.  

In 1950-1951 the 508^th PIR was reactivated ‘Lowder’ and I went to Fort Bragg, NC to see his brother who had been wounded in Korea, and to attend the reactivation ceremony.

‘Lowder’ was overjoyed to see Kenneth (Rock) Merritt, and to meet with Leonard Funk again. Leonard had been the First Sergeant of Company C and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Sgt. Funk was the most decorated WW II soldier in the 82^nd Airborne Division.

Cliff’s hookup with his WW II 508^th PIR comrades was an important event in his life. In January 1983, ‘Lowder’ received a copy of the ‘Static Line’ magazine. He found and called O.B. Hill's telephone number. O.B. gave ‘Lowder’ phone numbers for Joe Atkins, Mel Beets, John Boone and others that I can't remember.

As the result in 1983, ‘Lowder’ went to his first 508^th PIR Association reunion in Portland, Oregon.  John Boone, at the time was President of the Association. ‘Lowder’ was pleasantly surprised to find 322 508^th PIR WW II  veterans and their wives present for the reunion. Many Hq1 men were present.

 When ‘Lowder’ returned from the reunion he entertained us for a long time talking about the different fellows and their wives he had met. He often repeated his favorite story -- when he met John Boone's sons he was introduced as a very good friend. Boone's son replied – ‘if you are such good friends, where have you been for the past 40 years’?  Always quick – ‘Lowder’ said: ‘That's why we are such good friends.’