One of the Krans said he died of lockjaw in 1918 at the age of 32 when his children were 2 and 4 years old. Jane Allan, independently, said "He had trouble with his throat they told me, and he got so he couldn't talk."
Karen Olsen says he died in 1919 at the age of 39, from the influenza epidemic. So does her mom. She says he taught music in Buffalo, was a church organist, and played piano for several other groups.
Karen Olsen says:
George Lowry was indeed a fine musician, but he really wasn't a composer. In the manner of most of us in our family who play, he could make up little tunes on the fly and play rather well by ear, but to call him a bona fide composer would be a stretch. He never published any compositions or considered himself a composer.
Pat Congdon:
George played for Caruso and other concerts at the music hall, played in churches, and taught music. Probably met Aunt Ethel through their music. There were two pianos in the house (the ones we ended up with). Ethel said George was annoyed because he had to pay his father's gambling debts. (Robert James) George's father managed a theatre. He moved around a lot. Nobody seem to know what he did for a living. May have been a barber. The boys say they thought he was a printer, but then printers went on strike all the time, so he cut hair during those times, maybe.
George DeLawson Lowry. Pat doesn't know where name "DeLawson" comes rom. George came first 1900-1901 from southern Ontario, playing the piano in a bar or theatre. No jobs in Ontario. Family came laster lived in a rented house on 18th street. West side of Buffalo was full of Canadians because they all came over to work.
George. There's a picture of Pat's mother and Aunt Lou in Miss Geise(?)'s shop. Pat's mother's family came to Buffalo in 1901, year of Pan-American Exposition. President of the US (McKinley) came to Buffalo for the Exposition was shot. Electricity was being done in Niagara Falls, Ontario and New York. Things were booming in Buffalo 1905. Miss Geise had a millinery shop. Pat's mother worked there and so did Aunt Lou. That's how the families became friends.
In the meantime, Geore was progressing in his musical career. Caruso came to Buffalo. George accompanied him. A family on the west side, lived on Richmond Avenue, named Mordana (Morgana?). This family had a daughter Nina who had a good singing voice. Through the connection with Caruso, Nina went to NYC and joined with the Metropolitan Operal. The Mordanas (still in Buffalo, Pat thinks). George played in churches, and gave lessons. So did Ethel. He must have gotten his music education somewhere in Ontario because he could already play when he came.
Roger Lowry:
He was bald as a billiard ball. Our father was bald.