Lt. Colonel (retired) Lowell D Scales passed from this life that he loved into eternal life of which he could only imagine, on Sunday, November 27th, 2016, at Baptist Memorial Hospital- GT in Columbus, Mississippi.

Visitation will be held at Shaeffer's Chapel United Methodist Church, Friday, December 2, 2016, from 10AM to 11AM, with the funeral service at 11:00 AM with Bro. Curtis Bray officiating. Graveside service with full military honors will immediately follow in Memorial Gardens, Columbus, MS with Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS directing.

Lowell, "Dody", as he was known to family and friends during his early years, was born on Friday, July 4, 1924 in Electra, Texas. He grew up in one of the most severely affected areas of the "Dust Bowl" years; and the "Great Depression" of the 1930's. To his great fortune, he was born to a family of visionary people who never gave up their struggle to survive and ultimately succeed during some very tough times in this country that he loved.

He graduated from Electra high school in 1942, and he and his family immediately moved to San Diego, CA, which became their permanent home. In 1943 he was accepted into the Army/Air corps as an aviation cadet. At the age of 20, he entered World War II as a P-47 fighter pilot. While serving in Europe, he received the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry in action.  On December 26, 1944, he was shot down in an aerial battle during the Battle of the Bulge, for which he received the Purple Heart.

After the war, he joined the newly formed United States Air Force, where he continued his fighter pilot career including the Korean Conflict. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross at that time. In 1952 he participated in a fly-over of the United Nations during the opening ceremony in New York City. One of the highlights in his later years was an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. He retired from active duty in July, 1966 after 23 years of service to his country.  Immediately after retirement, he established and owned Magnolia Manor Nursing Home in Columbus for over 30 years. He had many other accomplishments during his lifetime including building and operating his own pleasure boat and building and piloting his own plane. His many life adventures became stories he loved to tell, and his family and friends loved to hear.

His life-long love was building and repairing anything. In this or any other area of life, he saw no limits. He got to live on his farm on the prairie, which he loved, for the last 40 years of his life and was a member of Shaeffer's Chapel United Methodist Church.

Preceding him in death are his beloved wife of 70 years, Shirley Pierce Scales, his parents, Ira and Nannie Bell (Andrues) Scales and his brother, I. L. "Monk" Scales.

Left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Charlotte (James) Scales Black and his son, Dwight Scales both of Columbus, MS; granddaughters, Tracee (Thomas) Pauly of Tampa, Florida, Melissa Cooper of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Christee Holbrook of Columbus, MS; great-grandchildren Jacob Pauly, Tyler Pauly, Anna-Claire Cooper, Madison Holbrook, Megan Holbrook and Morgan Holbrook.

The family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to the staffs of The Arrington, Windsor Rehab Unit and Baptist Hospital ER, ICU, 3rd floor and Baptist Hospice. We appreciate so much the loving care he received from these facilities.

A very special thank you is extended to his sitters Wendy Brandenburg, Connie Blackwell, Keisha Hill, Ann Kellum, Chiquita Smith, Martha Douglas, Ollie Dixon and other sitters who have cared for him over the last one and one half years.

Pallbearers will be Retired Colonel Nick Ardillo, Randy Burris, Randall Burris, Randy Friesen, Dennis Friesen, Bob Fruzia, Robbie Hudson and Jackie Triplett.  Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Bart Williams and the men and women of Shaeffer's Chapel UMC.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to:  Honor Flight Network at Honor Flight, Inc.  Attn: Diane Gresse 175 Tuttle Road Springfield, Ohio 45505 or honorflight.org or Warrior Bonfire Project, P.O. Box 396  Clinton, MS 39060.