Clyde G Lower JR

Clyde G. Lower, Jr.
1945-2022
Lifelong Music Educator
FITCHBURG – Clyde George Lower, Jr. (CG), 76, beloved husband of Sandra A. (Johnson) died unexpectedly at home on Friday, June 3, 2022. 
Born July 8, 1945 in Keene, NH, a son of Clyde and Alma (Oja) Lower, CG had an early interest in music, and began taking clarinet lessons while in elementary school. It was not long before he began playing the bugle when he joined the Scarlet Marauders Junior Drum Corps in West Swanzey, NH, and began filling his school year summers with baseball and drum corps-related activities. By the time he was playing trumpet in his senior year at Monadnock Regional High School in Swanzey, he knew that he wanted to make teaching music his life’s work.
After receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Keene State College in 1968, CG began teaching music in the Hillsboro-Deering, NH school district. Over the next 50 years, he held marching band and classroom music positions for students ranging from kindergarten through college level at North Middlesex Regional High School, Townsend, MA, St. Thomas, USVI, Hubbardston Center School, Fitchburg High School, Leominster Public Schools, Fitchburg State College, and Framingham State College. Even after leaving classroom teaching in 2017, his enthusiasm for music instruction continued with the private instrumental music lessons he enjoyed giving at Gordon Lasalle Music store in Leominster.  CG completed his education with a Master’s in Education from Keene State College in 1980 and a Certificate in Advanced Graduate Study from Fitchburg State in 2004.
Over the years, CG conducted and played trumpet with the Ashby Town Band, Fitchburg State College Jazz Band, and performed with the Fitchburg Military Band as well as with several area big bands; the Star Dusters, and Joint Venture. He marched as a member of the Scarlet Marauders Sr. Drum Corps, and the Fitchburg Kingsmen Sr. Drum and Bugle Corps. His concluding drum corps performance was with the MA Legends of Drum Corps.
He was currently an active member of the Concord Band’s trumpet section.
Equal in measure to his passion for music was CG’s commitment to his family and friends. Always generous with his time, his sense of humor, and his caring spirit, he will be fondly remembered by all who knew him. 
CG is survived by his wife and best friend of 40 years, Sandy, as well as several nieces and nephews.
A memorial celebration of CG’s llifewill be held Thursday, July 7, 2022 at 10:00aam in the Townsend Congregational Church 3 Brookline St Townsend. Burial will be private in West Cemetery,  Ashby.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Stephen  Moorcroft, Lavery Chartrand Alario Funeral Home.