Jean Eleanor Lowes

Jean Eleanor Lowes, 96, of Hilton Head Island, SC passed away peacefully at her home on November 4, 2024. Jean’s last days were spent with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her loving caregiver and friend Elaine Mankin. 

Jean was predeceased by the father of her four children, Edmund Clark and her business partner of fifty years and husband of thirty-four years Dennis Lowes as well as her parents and three brothers Gordon (Mary) Saunders, Norman (Barbara) Saunders and George “Bud” (Lorraine) Smith. 

Jean was born in Detroit, Michigan to Leonard and Lillian Saunders. She attended Denby High School and was married to Edmund Clark at age 19. They were married for over twenty years and raised four children together. 

In the late 1960’s, a friend introduced Jean to the world of marketing recreational real estate for American Central Corporation, a job at which she excelled. After maintaining a household with four children any other endeavor probably seemed easy. When the company was purchased by International Paper Jean relocated to South Carolina. In 1976 she cofounded Vacation Time of Hilton Head Island with Dennis Lowes and purchased the Adventure Inn and the Hilton Head Golf Club. One by one, Jean was joined by her children and their spouses who subsequently played various roles in growing the business over the next many years including pioneering the timeshare business, operating Fitzgerald’s restaurant, developing over 100 condominiums and building a successful vacation rental business and property management company that endures to this day. Dennis and Jean became partners for life in 1982 and were very happily married for 34 years. Second only to time spent with Dennis, Jean’s greatest joy was time with her family for golf, card games of all kinds and any other reason for a family gathering.

Jean is survived by her children Timothy (Lois) Clark, Linda (Lloyd) Roberts, Terry (Michael) Notartomaso and Laurie (Gary) Fons, two stepchildren Kelly Hopkins and Paul (Maria) Lowes, 16 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren. 

Jean’s family wishes to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of Hospice Care of the Low Country and asks that any memorial in Jean’s honor be directed to them at www.hospicecarelc.org

The family will celebrate Jean’s life in a private service.