from harnessracing.com

Lexington, KY — Paul “Biff” Lowry, 87, a racing publicist and executive for more than 50 years, died April 9, 2015, in St. George, Utah.

Mr. Lowry was reared in the Los Angeles, Calif., area, and was exposed to harness racing at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita as his father was a sportswriter for the Los Angeles Times.

In 1947 Mr. Lowry started his career in racing by working in the publicity department at Hollywood Park. He became publicity director for Western Harness, which operated harness meets at both Hollywood Park and Santa Anita Park, in the late 1940s and 1950s. He rose to assistant general manager for Western Harness.

In 1968 Mr. Lowry was recruited by the board of the Lexington Trots Breeders Association, operator of The Red Mile and Tattersalls. Mr. Lowry served as president and general manager until October 1981.

During his tenure at The Red Mile, Mr. Lowry became a well-respected member of the Lexington business community and continued his friendships with horsemen and owners who raced on the Grand Circuit. He collaborated with Red Mile/Tattersalls publicity director Tom White to write the history of harness racing in the Bluegrass in the book they titled A Century of Speed.

After leaving LTBA, Mr. Lowry worked for World Wide Equine and then did consulting work in racing before returning to Southern California in 1985 to serve as general manager of Los Alamitos Race Course. In 1993 he became a key executive for the California Authority of Racing Fairs and in later years worked for Southern California Off-Track Wagering.

In 1986, while still working in California, Mr. Lowry and his family moved to St. George, Utah, where he became an active congregant of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and also pursued his love of swimming.

Mr. Lowry retired in January 2001 and the racing community held a luncheon in his honor at Santa Anita Park.

After retiring from racing, Mr. Lowry became a national swimming champion in the senior division and served as an assistant swim coach for three high school teams in the St. George area. He also wrote about high school swimming for the local newspaper. Mr. Lowry’s wife, Katye, said he often told her he had found his dream job in his retirement years because his greatest joy was working with students.

In addition to co-authoring A Century of Speed, Mr. Lowry also wrote a book about the history of Hollywood Park titled From Seabiscuit to Pincay and most recently, about the Thoroughbred Phar-Lap.

Mr. Lowry is survived by his wife Katye, who he met in Lexington and married in 1972; their son, Clint; sons, Tom and Tim; grandchildren, Liam and Harrison; and sister, Paula.

A memorial service will be held Saturday (April 18) at 2 p.m. in St. George, Utah. Arrangements are being handled by Spilsbury Mortuary of St. George.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project helping military veterans.