John Wayland Low

John Low, longtime Denver lawyer and community leader, died at his home on March 28 at the age of 95. He was the first of three children of Oscar Wayland Low and Rachel Stander Low. He grew up in Nebraska and Minnesota, graduating from Kimball High School in Kimball, Nebraska in 1940.
He completed two years of college at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska before World War II interrupted his college education. Enlisting in the Army Air Corps after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was deployed with the 10th Division to India and Burma. As a navigator on B-25 bombers, he flew 74 missions, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross.
After the war, he graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1947, then moved to Denver where he attended the University of Denver College of Law. He graduated in 1951 cum laude, and was an editor of the Law Review and a member of the Order of St. Ives. He became an associate of the Denver law firm of Sherman & Howard (then Dawson, Nagel, Sherman & Howard) upon graduation, where he remained for 66 years, until his retirement at the end of 2016, at age 93. He chaired the firm’s Management Committee for fifteen years and was widely recognized for his work as a banking and finance, and corporate, lawyer.
He served as a Trustee of the University of Denver for 32 years, and as Vice Chairman of the Board for fifteen of those years. Other civic leadership positions included service as Chairman of what is now known as the Colorado Symphony Orchestra for 11 years and chairing its Foundation, Chairman of the First Plymouth Foundation for 28 years, Chairman of the Mesa Verde Foundation for 13 years, Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for International Education for 13 years, and others. DU recognized him with its Evans Award in 2001 and he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Nebraska Wesleyan in 1991 and the Learned Hand Award from the American Jewish Committee in 1989.
He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Merry Cook Low, two daughters from a previous marriage, Lucinda A. Low of Potomac, MD and Jan W. Low of Nairobi, Kenya; two stepchildren, Karen Cook of Denver, Colorado and Robert Cook-Deegan of Accokeek, MD, six grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Kim, Kendra, Caitlin and Sean Magraw and Patrick and Maeve Cook-Deegan as well as two sisters, Lucretia McClure of Rochester, NY and Margaret Shoppell of Walnut Creek, California.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, April 5 at 1:30 pm at First Plymouth Congregational Church, 3501 South Colorado Blvd., Englewood, CO. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the University of Denver, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, or First Plymouth Foundation.

Celebration of Life: April 5, 2019 1:30 pm

First Plymouth Congregational Church
3501 S Colorado Blvd
Denver, CO 80113