When all of the Dawson County government offices moved into the brand-new building at 25 Justice Way in 2011, Selma Lowman, then 74, was the oldest person working in the building.

Lowman told the Dawson News and Advertiser that she just wasn’t ready to retire because she enjoyed working and meeting new people. She would work for five more years before retiring at 80 and moving down to Gulf Shores, Ala.

She had worked for the county government for 18 years.

Lowman died Sept. 9, just months after her retirement. Clerk of Courts Justin Power said the office was still grieving the move when they heard the news of her passing.

“We’re just heartbroken,” Power said. “She was this office.”

According to her obituary, Lowman was born March 27, 1937 in Pickens County to the late Felton and Neilia Grogan. She lived a number of years in Hall County and Forest Park before moving to Dawson County.

Before she worked in the clerk's office, Lowman was employed at Sweet-Orr for over 30 years.  A member of Goshen Baptist Church, she was also preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Jay Steven Lowman.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sept. 15 in the Bearden Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ronnie Bennett, Rev. Jason Hamby and Rev. Russell Burt officiating.  Interment followed in the church cemetery.