Dear LMU Community:
I am saddened to share that the Honorable Frederick J. Lower, retired dean and professor at LMU Loyola Law School, passed away on Jan. 26, 2026. He was 90 years old.
Judge Lower was named the 10th dean of Loyola Law School in 1973. During his six years as dean, he led the law school’s land expansion efforts and the selection of Frank Gehry as campus architect. After 25 years of devoted service at Loyola Law School, he joined the judiciary in 1991.
Judge Lower’s long and impactful relationship with LMU began when he was an undergraduate on our Westchester campus, from which he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1956. He later returned from service as a Marine Corps officer and enrolled in the law school’s Evening Division. He earned his J.D. in 1964 and began a trial and appellate litigation practice. In 1966, he returned to the classroom as an adjunct professor at the law school; he joined the full-time faculty in 1968 and taught civil procedure, torts, and insurance law.
In the succeeding 23 years, he was selected twice to serve as dean of LMU Loyola Law School, including a term as interim dean in 1990. During his tenure as dean from 1973 until 1979, Judge Lower provided visionary leadership during a period of significant institutional growth. The law school acquired additional land, with Frank Gehry serving as project architect for a renowned campus. Judge Lower also created 15 alumni chapters throughout the U.S. and formed the law school’s Board of Visitors, a group of distinguished alumni drawn from the legal and business communities who offered counsel and assistance with outreach and fundraising. In addition to increasing the size of the faculty, Judge Lower also encouraged scholarly writing and curriculum reform. The Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review debuted under his leadership.
Judge Lower began a second career as a member of the judiciary and was sworn in as a judge of the Superior Court on Jan. 4, 1991, as family, colleagues, and friends gathered at the law school to celebrate.
He retired from the court in 2003 to spend more time with Virginia, his wife of almost 70 years, while serving as a Judge-in-Residence for the Civil Litigation Practicum, once again educating Loyola Law students.
A memorial service will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 23, at St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church, 1940 S. Prospect Ave., Redondo Beach, California, 90277.
Please keep Fred, his family – including daughters Susan E. Greene ’87, Catherine L. Keefe ‘80, Therese L. Lower ‘79, and Karen M. Stoffers ’84/LLS ‘89 – friends, and colleagues in your thoughts and prayers.
With care,
Thomas Poon, Ph.D.
President and Professor
