Lowell T.L. Proctor was born in Cedar Grove Township near Sterling, Oklahoma, in 1931. This was during the Great Depression, as well as a major drought and the Dust Bowl with its numerous huge dust storms. These conditions forced his parents to sell their farm and leave in search of work in California in 1936.

World War II started when Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese. He was 10 years old and saw his older cousins and uncles drafted into military service and leave to fight in both Europe and the Pacific areas.

An "Okie", he worked in the vegetable fields, cotton fields and fruit orchards until he was 16 years old. at 16 he was allowed to apply for a work permit to work in businesses other than agriculture field work. He worked weekends as a clerk in a pharmacy during the school term and as an apprentice electrician while school was not in session.

A good student, he achieved the honor of "lifetime membership" in the California Scholarship Federation while in high school. He was chosen to represent his school in the United Nations 1948 Education, Scholarship Committee meeting in San Francisco, California.

After graduation he enrolled in college. In his junior year, the Korean War started. Universal military training was required for all 18-year-old, able-bodied male citizens and they were required to register for the military draft. He joined the Air Force Reserve Officer training program and, because of his good academic record, was allowed to double-up the ROTC four-year-required courses and graduate as a second lieutenant in two years.

He applied for pilot training and was sent to Lackland Air Force Base for pre-flight training and to Hondo Air Base for primary flight training. He met and married Andrea Mary Mumme, a Hondo girl, in 1954 and soon became an honorary Texan, the state of his father's birth and the home of his paternal grandparents. They had three sons, Ryan, Keith and David.

The Korean War ended while he was training in jets at Big Spring, Texas, where his father had been born. He decided to remain in the United States Air Force after his four-year mandatory requirement. He served in the Viet Nam War theater of operations for two years, flying 1,104 hours of combat missions, and was awarded seven Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He receive various other medals, awards and commendations during his 20 years in the Air Force. When he achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel, he was given command of the Strategic Air Command Seventh Air Refueling Squadron and soon became the acting director of flight operations at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas.

He retired from the Air Force in 1974 at the request of his father-in-law to come to Hondo and help in the family business. He worked at Mumme's Inc. for 23 years and retired a second time at the age of 65, from paid work but not to inactivity.

He lost his wife, Andrea, to ALS after more than 51 years of marriage.

He married Charlotte Adams of Quihi, Texas, in 2006. They lived in Quihi until September 2019, when they moved to Azle, Texas, and lived there until February 2025. After the loss of Charlotte in March 2025, he went to live with Ryan and Sabine in Point, Texas.

Lowell died Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at the age of 93.

In addition to his wives, he was preceded in death by his parents, Bertha and Willie Proctor; his brother, Lavern; and stepson, Randy Wayne Adams.

He is survived by his sons, Ryan (Sabine), Keith (Sherree) and David (Melissa); stepson, Daryl Adams (Michelle); stepdaughter-in-law, Arletha Adams; brother, Lamance Proctor; as well as numerous grandkids, great-grandkids, nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be Saturday, August 30, 10:00 am at Guinn-Horger Chapel. Graveside service with Full Military Honors will begin at 11:00 with a Flyover presented by members of the Commemorative Air Force.

Arrangements by Guinn-Horger Funeral Home