Harriet Lowrey Sanders

This memorial website was created in memory of our beloved, Harriet Sanders. We will remember her forever.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 6500 Kawanee Ave., Metairie, LA on Friday, September 27, 2024 at 12:00 PM, with visitation beginning at 10:00 AM. Her family will be present to welcome loved ones. There will be a reception at St. Philip Neri Parish Hall after the Funeral. We will have catered food, but if anyone would like to contribute we are asking them to bring desserts and/or drinks! Thank you.

Private Interment for the family will follow reception at St. Joseph Abbey Cemetery, 75376 River Rd., St. Benedict, LA. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that donations in Harriet’s memory and legacy be made to one of the following organizations:

1) God is Faithful Fund held by the Catholic Community Foundation, to support Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans seminarian education and support. You may contact them through www.ccfnola.org/faithful , or make checks payable to CCF - God is Faithful, 7887 Walmsley Ave. New Orleans, LA 70125;

2) Our Lady of the Lake Foundation - https://www.fmolhs.org/giving/foundations/our-lady...

If you would like to send flowers, please send them to St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 6500 Kawanee Ave., Metairie, LA 70003. We recommend using Federico's Family Florist, at 504-834-6400

Serenity Funeral Home of Covington, LA is in charge of the arrangements. If you wish to leave memories and condolences, please visit our website at www.serenitycovington.com

Harriet Lowrey Sanders, 76, of Kenner, Louisiana, passed away on September 21, 2024 surrounded by her loved ones and friends. was born in New Orleans, LA to Irene Taylor Lowrey and Harold "Ike" Eldridge Lowrey . She grew up with three lively brothers Bob Lowrey, Ken Lowrey, and David Lowrey.

As a child mom loved spending time helping her mom maintain a good household. She grew a tough skin living with three brothers and spent much of her childhood putting up with their antics. She was always a very dedicated student and graduated from Neville High School. She then moved on to a degree in nursing at Northwestern State University. After working for a few years as a nurse, she then went on to a masters at the University of Colorado in Denver. Mom can be described as feisty, strong willed, and was somewhat of a perfectionist especially in the nursing practice. She always wanted the best for her patients and made sure the students she taught were thorough, knowledgeable, and patient oriented. Her career began by working in the ICU department at Charity Hospital. Early on she discovered a passion for teaching others the ways of nursing. She then taught for many years at LSU nursing school. Her twelve and a half year stint in the Education department at East Jefferson General Hospital carried her fondest memories as a nursing educator. It was at EJ that she made some of her best work friends and also was awarded the honor of the top 100 nurses. After Katrina, she worked for awhile at St. Charles Hospital Education Department and before retirement she worked as an educator for Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge. Her impact as a nurse was evident everytime we entered a hospital. Mom always met someone she taught or worked with, and they always stated how much they appreciated all that mom had taught them. Even in her last days, the nurse who owned the care home where mom lived was a nurse that mom had taught.

In her 30’s, she met her husband Craig. They fell in love while spending time with their mutual friends at the Brentwood apartment community. Mom describes these days as some of the best of her life. It is where she and Craig made so many of their lifelong friends. She also found a true place among the Sanders family in New Orleans and always held Craig's mom Eliska as "her favorite person." (If you had met Eliska, she would have been your favorite person too) That is why when Harriet became a grandma she affectionately took on Eliska's name, Mamere.

Mom and Dad at first struggled to have children, but where finally blessed with Kyle and Katie. As a family, they loved to spend time with their neighbors, travel to visit moms family in Northern Louisiana, and play card games like Spoons. Mom was an abundant caretaker, always making sure her kids had everything they needed; while also keeping a very tidy home. Mom and Dad also kept a very busy social calendar with parties and friends over; the house was always the place to hang out. Mom was the one that always made sure it was a welcoming and hospitable place.

It is safe to say that Craig was the love of moms life. He cared for her in a way that was truly amazing and mom really described him as being her "whole world." Therefore, it was very difficult when Dad passed away two years ago today (September 24th). Mom never really recovered and slowly her health began to decline. It was clear in many ways that she was meant to be with him again. One of the hardest things for us as her children was wondering if mom embraced the same faith that we believed so deeply in as we watched her decline. Everytime we asked her about faith, she would say, "I am too old for that." Well, she proved us and herself wrong when two weeks before her death in a very lucid period during her struggle of dementia she agreed to become Catholic and receive the sacraments of the Church. It was truly beautiful to see her embrace Christ who had been embracing her all along through Craig, through us, and through her many loving friends. Besides Craig and her children, moms other great joy was having the opportunity to love and spoil her grandchildren Eliska Ibarra and Lucy Ibarra. She never smiled as wide and as long as when she looked upon those girls.

Harriet will be remembered as a loving mother and grandmother. We thank God for the time we were able to spend with her. We know that her and Craig loved a good party, and we hope she is enjoying the Heavenly banquet of Christ with her dear husband.

We would like to personally thank Maree Sanders, Edna Mcleskey, Kay Imms, and Larry and Anne Schott who were amazing friends in moms decline. We never would have made it through that season without you, and we know your love for mom was a great gift to her. As Christ says to his apostles you loved her until the end.

Also, a special shout out to moms roommate, Marjorie, in the care home where she spent her last days. Marjorie loved mom and looked out for her as one would for family. We are truly grateful for you Marjorie, you are our "pearl."

In addition to her children Fr. Kyle Sanders and Katie Ibarra, and her son in law, Jerome ibarra, Harriet is survived by her grandchildren, Eliska Ibarra and Lucy Ibarra, her siblings, Bob Lowrey & Linda Lowrey, Ken Lowrey & Patsy Lowrey, and David Lowrey. She was preceded in passing by her beloved husband, Craig Sanders, her grandson, Andre Ibarra, and her parents Irene Taylor Lowrey and Harold "Ike" Eldridge Lowrey.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Harriet Lowrey Sanders, please visit our floral store.