Lowell "Don" Warren

Lowell Donnie Warren (Don) passed away at home on March 28, 2022 after a long and courageous battle with metastatic bladder cancer. He was 85.
A memorial service will be held on **Saturday, April 16th** at 2pm in Fair Funeral Home Chapel with a reception to follow at the Morehead-Fair House next door to the funeral home. 

Don was born on January 1, 1937 in Spray, NC (now Eden) to the late Clyde E. and Nannie Harbour Warren and was the eighth of nine children.  He was a 1955 graduate of Tri-City High School (now Morehead), where he was president of the junior class, vice president of the student council and voted most athletic boy in his senior class. After high school he served four years in the US Air Force as an air traffic controller and then attended East Carolina University where he was a member of the Pirate baseball team.

Don had a twenty year career in banking, eleven years with North Carolina National Bank (seven in Greensboro and four in North Wilkesboro), then nine years with Northwestern bank in Greensboro and Madison.  After his time in banking, in 1981, he became president of M&M Foods Inc. which operated Fuzzy’s Barbeque in Madison, Eden, and Martinsville Virginia.   He held this position until 1994 when he sold his interest in the company and decided to pursue a career in real estate.  He established, L. Don Warren and Associates, which he ran until just recently.  Don served three terms as president of the Rockingham County Association of Realtors.  He won the Jimmie Richardson award as outstanding realtor twice and was named Realtor of the Year twice. 

Don was always active in civic affairs and believed in giving back to the community.   While living in North Wilkesboro he was named by the NC Jaycees as one of the Five Outstanding Young Men of NC.  He was chairman of the United Way Fund Drive, at which time it met its goal, which had not happened in the previous fifteen years.  He was chairman of the local heart fund drive, and served as vice president of the Chamber of Commerce. While living in Greensboro he coached little league baseball, was president of the Gate City Jaycees, a member of the Summit Rotary Club, and was named a lifetime member of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. In Madison Don was twice president of the Madison-Mayodan Chamber of Commerce for which he also served as director for many years.  He was a member of Madison-Mayodan Rotary.  He was active at the county level by serving as a member of the committee of 100 and chairman and vice chairman of the Partnership for Economic Development, and he served nine years on the Rockingham County Public Health board of directors.

Don also once had a much-loved hobby of sports-casting.   While living in Greensboro, he did play by play for Grimsley and Page High School football for WBIG Radio.   He also enjoyed doing this for Morehead High School on WLOE along with his brother Mert.  While in North Wilkesboro, he did play by play for Wilkes Central and Wilkes County High Schools for WRBC Radio for both football and basketball.    He later did play by play for Madison-Mayodan High School for WMYN for both football and basketball.   He was a dedicated fan of Duke Blue Devils basketball and NY Yankees baseball.

Don was a long-time member of Madison Presbyterian Church where he was once active as an elder and in his earlier years a Sunday School teacher while also serving on various committees over the years within the church.

In addition to his parents Don was preceded in death by his wife of fifty-five years, Judith Powell Warren, his brothers Garvin, Mert and Pete Warren and sisters Reba Hancock, Dera Santos, and Jewel Warren.

He is survived by his daughter Allison Warren Drake and husband Dr. Cody Drake of Stoneville, grandchildren Dr. Matthew Drake (Emily) of Greenville, NC, Meredith Drake of Raleigh, and Susanna Drake of Stoneville, brother Jerry Warren (Nancy) of Winston-Salem, sister Brenda Gilbert (Larry) of Winston-Salem, sister-in-law Patsy Warren of Lynchburg, VA, brother-in-law Kenneth Powell (Carolyn) of Eden and several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by special friend, Elizabeth Smith, of North Wilkesboro.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to Hospice of Rockingham County or to the donor’s choice.