Joyce Lowery as a Trailblazer in Women’s Running
Memory Lane with Mae Cleveland
Joyce Lowery had been running nearly thirty years when she won GWTC’s 1996 female runner of the year award, along with her two twin sister, Nancy Widener. Joyce competed on the 1969 inaugural FSU Track & Field Team. This was before Title IX came into law in 1972. Members of the team were honored last weekend for being trailblazers in women’s track & field.
Joyce passed away in July 2004 at age 55, after her morning trail run, and so was not with her teammates as they gathered in Tallahassee for recognition. She would have been full of Joy at seeing the team acknowledged as pioneers in their sport. Jim Henry’s story and the team photo on the front page of the sport section of the May 5 issue of The Tallahassee Democrat brought back fond memories of Joyce and the stories exchanged after many races. We do still miss you, Joyce, and your ready smile and laugh. And now we have another reason to be proud of you.