Worcester, VT Paul Conger Lowe passed away suddenly at his home in Worcester, Vermont on June 25, 2009. He is survived by his loving wife Joan Murray, his children Matthew and Chandra, and his brothers Jim and Andy. Born in 1948 in New Haven, Connecticut, Paul, known as Pete as a child, grew up in Bethany, Connecticut as one of four sons of Paul F. and Florence E. Lowe. He attended high school at Hopkins Grammar School, where he played football and basketball, and graduated with a B.S. degree in geology from Dartmouth College in 1970. During and after college, Paul worked with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska. There, he acquired what would become a life-long love of the wilderness and a passion for hiking in the back country. While in Alaska, he met and married his first wife, Peggy, and they began raising their children, Matthew and Chandra. After living and working in Alaska for more than a decade, Paul moved to New Jersey, where he began working in school administration. He then relocated to Maine in 1990, where he worked in a number of administrative roles at non-profit organizations and schools. Paul received his M. Ed. in school administration from Vermont College in 1996. While working on his degree he met Joan Murray, and they were married in 1997. Paul and Joan lived in Portland and then Freeport, Maine, and he was assistant principal and then principal at the middle school level. In 2001 they moved to Vermont, eventually settling in Worcester. Paul worked as principal at the middle school level, most recently at the Newton School in South Strafford, Vermont, where he felt he had found a combination of professional culture and community support that matched his own views of what education could and should be. Those who knew Paul professionally will remember his unswerving commitment to education, particularly for young and early teen-aged children. He worked tirelessly to help teachers teach and students learn and grow. His passion for excellence in education distinguished him not just as an administrator but a principal who demanded the best possible learning experience for the children at his schools. Outside his professional life, Paul loved the outdoors. He hiked and snowshoed extensively, particularly in the Worcester/Elmore region in recent years, where he was working on a complete traverse of the Worcester range. He was often eagerly accompanied on his rambles by his great friend Sam the dog. Paul was an avid birder as well. Visitors to his home will be familiar with the clock that marks the hours with birdsong. Paul also enjoyed golfing with Joan and his family in Vermont or on summer vacations in Maine. Few people who saw him striding the fairways at the Farm Resort in Morristown will forget Paul's 6' 6" frame clad in his bright yellow knickers, especially when he played 60 holes on his 60th birthday last year. At work or play, Paul was a rare blend of good humor, high energy, and a love for life. His wife, children, brothers, and friends will remember with fondness his ready smile, his unique style, and larger than life presence. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, July 18 at 11:00 a. m. at Guare and Sons Funeral Home, 30 School Street, Montpelier, Vermont. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to either the Newton School, P.O. Box 39, South Strafford Vermont, 05070 or the National Audubon Society at www.audubon.org (click Give Now, Memorial Gifts).