Hall of Famer and beloved wrestling coach Buddy Lowery, whose career spanned over four decades, passed away on October 12, 2025, at the age of 73.
Lowery, who coached wrestling at Davie County High School for 43 years, was known for his dedication to his athletes and a legacy that created
Buddy Lowery is survived by his wife of 49 years, Tara Lowery, and sons, Patrick and his wife, Dawn Singleton Lowery, and son Eric and his partner, Tatum Yates.
He tied the knot with Tara on August 1, 1976. They had been happily married for almost half a century.
Tara from Spencer, North Carolina, is a retired teacher at Davie County Schools-Cooleemee Elementary, where she taught from August 1978 to December 2009.
Similarly, Lowery was a beloved grandfather to his grandchildren, Tucker, Berklee, Emma, Baylor, and Harper Lowery.
It was Maurice Atwood who shared the news of his passing, writing:
Legendary Davie County HS wrestling coach, Buddy Lowery, passed away tonight. Buddy was the long time coach at Davie who won two state championships and a slew of regional and conference championships. Truly one of the all time greats in North Carolina.
Maurice Atwood
Born on August 14, 1952, Buddy Lowery grew up in East Spencer. He was a standout athlete at North Rowan High School in the 1960s, excelling in football, wrestling, and track and field.
He wrestled for coach Ralph Shatterly, who turned North Rowan into a top wrestling program. Lowery helped the team win championships in 1968 and 1969.
After high school, he played football at East Carolina University as a defensive end for the “Wild Dogs” team.
East Carolina University graduate, Lowery’s coaching career began in 1976 when he took over as head wrestling coach at Davie County High School.
At just 23 years old, he brought energy and determination to a program that was struggling.
His first few seasons were tough, marked by losing records. However, by the 1979-80 season, his team turned things around with a winning season. From then on, Lowery’s War Eagles never had a losing season again.
Under Lowery’s leadership, Davie County wrestling became a powerhouse. His teams won two state championships in 1994 and 2006, along with 27 regular-season conference titles and 15 regional championships.
His overall record was an impressive 913 wins, 136 losses, and 2 ties.
Likewise, Lowery also coached 11 wrestlers to 15 individual state titles and guided 44 athletes to 100 career wins.
Former wrestlers and colleagues remember him as a man of integrity.
Brian Murphy, who wrestled for Lowery in the 1990s, said, “He taught us to never be satisfied, to always push to be better. That lesson stayed with me in sports and life.”
Timmy Allen, a state champion under Lowery, added, “He was honest and loyal. He made me a better person, not just a better wrestler.”
Above all, Lowery had an impact that extended beyond wrestling. He served as Davie County’s athletic director for many years.
Even after retiring from teaching in 2009, he stayed committed to the wrestling program until his retirement from coaching in 2019.
He stepped down from coaching because of several health issues, including foot problems. However, he attended practices and matches whenever he could.
After retiring, Lowery was honored with inductions into the Davie County Athletic Hall of Fame, the Salisbury-Rowan County Hall of Fame, and the North Carolina Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
During this difficult time, we pray for the strength of Lowery’s wife, kids, grandkids, friends, and extended family.
Rest In Heavenly Peace, Buddy Lowery!
