Michael Edward Lowry       March 8,1939-May 1, 2017

Governor Mike Lowry- WAFA founder, and friend to many. Visionary of something better for the people of rural Washington. Setting higher standards of living as the norm for families that might not otherwise have the opportunity to reach. Showing us all what we can do together. I know I speak for all of us in saying Thank You. Mike you will always be in our hearts and minds, we will miss you.

Photo courtesy/credit-Patrick Bennett

Executive Director – Chair

Governor Lowry had served in local, state, and national government during his public career, born in St. John, Eastern Washington in 1939, Governor Lowry attended public schools in Endicott and graduated from Washington State University. After working as the chief fiscal analyst and staff director for the Washington State Legislature’s Senate Ways and Means Committee in 1969-1973, Governor Lowry was the governmental affairs director for the Puget Sound Group Health Cooperative in1974-1975 and served on the King County Council from 1975-1978, chairing it in 1977.

Elected 4 times to the US House of Representatives where he served from 1978 -1989, he went on to served as our 20th Washington State Governor 1993-1997.

In his retirement from public life, Governor Lowry taught at Seattle University’s Institute for Public Service and joined with Governor Dan Evans to promote the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition. He also ran two nonprofit foundations that encouraged citizen participation in government and addressed the needs of the working poor and affordable housing issues and is active in building affordable housing for Washington’s Agricultural workers.