Joseph Macauley “Mac” Lowe, II, was born November 10, 1910. He was the Senior Class President and graduated in 1928 from Lee’s Summit High School. Elizabeth Wahl was born in Oklahoma City on January 24, 1908.

On October 20, 1930, Elizabeth Wahl (age 22) married Joseph Macauley “Mac” Lowe, II. As they were signing their marriage license, Mac learned that Elizabeth was nearly 3 years older than him. He had never seen her feet prior to their wedding. They eloped to Uncle Leon’s in Kansas City, who was an undertaker. Phil Wahl, Elizabeth’s brother, and a Methodist minister performed the ceremony.

John Roger Lowe, Mac’s father, owned and traded real estate; he owned Laurel Heights in Raytown. He traded Laurel Heights for 410 acres on 50 Highway and named it Laurel Heights Farm.

Mac and Elizabeth soon moved to the family farm (where the current Floral Hills East is located). Soon after Joe was born (in the little house), Mac moved his wife and son to Liberty for about 12 months. John Roger wanted his son and family back in Lee’s Summit. John Roger proposed he would move into the “little house” and let Mac and family have the “big house.” Mac agreed and moved back to Lee’s Summit. Using his team of horses, he made the 2-day trip back to Lee’s Summit by pulling everything they owned in their wagon.

All three children were born at home. As a child, Elizabeth had rheumatic fever. She had open heart surgery (one of five in the country) and was often sick. At a very young age, their two daughters cooked for hired hands on an old wood stove.

On Laurel Heights Farm Mac raised cattle, pigs, sheep, and chickens. At one point, he raised turkeys and baby chickens for the Old Mill (there were up to 10,000 baby chickens at a time). He farmed all day and worked nights at Butler Manufacturing to put his kids through college.

They sold a dozen eggs for $.10, and that meager $.10 lasted an entire week. They grew practically all their food and owned a dairy. On the wood stove Elizabeth cooked meals and ironed (heating the iron on the wood stove). She was a seamstress and made everything they wore (except for underwear). The furnace did not heat the upstairs; that upstairs was so cold the plants froze.

Because there was no running water in the small house, at bath time, water was heated by the wood stove in two wash tubs–one with soapy water and one with clean water. All the children took baths in the same water.

The Lowe family lived their faith; anyone who came to their door was invited inside. They had very little money, but everyone was welcome. They were proud of their loving community and hosted big picnics for church groups. The churches all came together in the small community. Missionaries, pastors, and visitors from other countries were always invited to their home.

Their children were sheltered and protected from anything that was not good; Mac and Elizabeth rarely spoke negative words about anyone.

Because of the $25.00 fee to attend Kindergarten, the Lowe children did not attend. They were, however, taught manners, respect, and humbleness at a young age. Both Mac and Elizabeth often emphasized the correct way to act—while always keeping other’s feelings first and foremost.

In 1949, the Lowes purchased their first new car—a 1949 Chevrolet with a manual transmission, manual windows, and no radio.

Elizabeth was a talented artist and seamstress. Many times, she saw a picture or an item in a display window and returned home to sew it! She worked on the farm gardening, raising animals, and tending to their 3 children. She canned and made all their food from scratch. She cut the children’s hair.  She was active in 4-H, in school and church, attended State and County Fairs where she showed quilts, artwork, and took clean clothes to their son who stayed overnight with his show animals. Their daughters were not allowed to stay overnight (though they sure wanted to). When the girls were in college, Elizabeth helped them pack and moved everything (for both daughters) in their Buick coupe. She sewed costumes for their sorority. Elizabeth was proud to be President of the United Methodist Women. 

Mac was on the first Board of LS Social Services. He was instrumental in starting Water District 14, was a Charter Member of the morning Optimist Club (organizing Christmas trees as a fundraiser) and was heavily involved at the Lee’s Summit United Methodist Church.

During the 1960’s, 50 Highway was built, which took their farm. They then moved to Greenwood on Harris Road and bought The Old Harris Home.

Elizabeth died at The Harris Road Farm in 1991 at the age 83. Her motto was: “Where there is a will, there is a way.” She taught: “Make do with what you have.”

Mac died in his pickup truck with a load of cattle in the trailer at the Harris Road Farm in 1995 at the age of 85.

Both Mac and Elizabeth are buried in Foral Hills East Cemetery, at approximately the same place of their Laurel Heights Farm.

“All 3 children are blessed to have had our wonderful parents, and we realize that more and more every year,” Joe, Janice, and Marlese.