In the fall of 2024, longtime LCU Trustee and friend of the university Dr. Lowell Johnson was honored at the end of a nearly 60-year tenure on the Board of Trustees.
Dr. Johnson was born and raised in San Angelo, TX, and received his bachelor’s degree in 1949 from what was then Abilene Christian College, which was where he met and married his wife, Jo. He received his M.D. from Southwestern Medical School in 1956 and was initially board certified in Family Medicine. He later added a board certification in Geriatric Medicine.
As he began his practice, Dr. Johnson provided free or deeply discounted medical services to numerous LCU students, as well as faculty and staff families, and he also did the same for the Sunset International Bible Institute (SIBI) and the Smithlawn Maternity Home. He often delivered babies for young LCU faculty and staff families in the early years, which included a new baby for Les and Elaine Perrin named Larry Timothy, who later became LCU’s sixth president.
Dr. Johnson served as an elder for the Sunset Church of Christ for 26 years where he also taught Bible classes and served on advisory committees for SIBI, but in 1965 he was appointed to the Lubbock Christian University Board of Trustees, eight years after the young college’s founding in 1957.
“It was a remarkable honor to return to my Alma Mater and serve under Dr. Johnson after growing up under his care as my doctor,” shared LCU’s sixth president, L. Timothy Perrin. “He brought wisdom to every decision! He has always honored God through his words and actions and his legacy looms large in the growth and development of LCU. With a positive spirit and a gentle manner, Dr. Johnson has made us all better. After 59 years of extraordinary service to the LCU board of trustees, I offer these words of gratitude. Thank you, Dr. Johnson. You have made this place immeasurably better through your service!”
During his tenure on the LCU Board, he passionately served on the Academics Committee of the board, and at various times he also served on the Executive Committee. He served with distinction and dedication as an LCU Trustee for over 59 years with four board chairs: Lennis Baker, Gene Hancock, Jerry Harris, and Terry Creech, and he also served with all seven university presidents: F.W. Mattox, Joe Hacker, Harvie Pruitt, Steven Lemley, Ken Jones, Tim Perrin, and Scott McDowell.
“Dr. Johnson is a living legend in the Lubbock Christian University community and beyond,” shared Dr. McDowell, LCU’s seventh president. “He is a deeply wise, and deeply spiritual man who does a fantastic job of loving God and loving people well. He is a genuine encourager—he has supported LCU for multiple generations of students and he continues to do so. I will always remember that he led the prayer at the board meeting when I was installed as president and asked God’s continued blessings on the University and on me as it’s 7th president.”
“Dr. Johnson is such a fine man,” echoed L. Ken Jones, Perrin’s presidential predecessor at LCU. “He was chairman of the search committee who hired me. I remember sitting in his living room talking about LCU. He told me his conflict of interest between Sunset and LCU. Ultimately LCU became the choice. He greatly supported me then and every day I was privileged to be called President. Dr. Johnson has been a stable, wise leader as a Board member. I have the highest regard for him and will always be indebted to him. He was instrumental in giving to Suzie and me the greatest opportunity of my lifetime.”
“The recognition that Dr. Johnson had been a trustee in partnership with all the previous presidents made that moment and that prayer of blessing on me stand out as a genuine treasure,” added Dr. McDowell. “Dr. Johnson has been an eyewitness to God’s provision on behalf of the University and his very life and profound engagement has actually been a part of that provision. I am thankful for the friendship of Dr. Johnson to me personally, but most importantly, I am grateful for his long-tenured devotion to Lubbock Christian University and to the defining ideals for which the University stands.”