Longtime Morristown coach, athletic director, teacher Lowell Albertson passes away

longtime-morristown-coach-athletic-director-teacher-lowell-albertson-passes-away

Mr. Lowell E. Albertson passed away on December 12, 2023 in Carmel, Indiana.

Mr. Albertson was born on July 14, 1937 to Woodrow M. and Lula (Jackson) Albertson in New Albany, Indiana. He was raised in Pekin, Indiana and graduated from Pekin High School in 1955. 

He married the former Rose Marie Gray on July 12, 1957 in Pekin.

In 1963, Mr. Albertson began his pursuit of his college education. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Education from Indiana University Bloomington in 1967 and started his teaching and coaching career that fall at Eastern High School in Pekin. He coached junior varsity boys basketball for six seasons, followed by three seasons as head boys basketball coach. He also coached varsity cross country, track and baseball at Eastern.

He earned his Master of Science in Education from Indiana University Southeast in 1972.

In 1977, he was named head boys basketball coach at Morristown High School and in his first season led the Yellow Jackets to a Shelby County Tournament championship. After seven seasons as head coach, he was named athletic director at Morristown and held that position until his retirement in 1999. 

Always a fixture at high school sporting events in and around Shelby County, his greatest interest was kids. He was never far away from the school and was always willing to lend a hand to students day or night. His true passion was helping young people – regardless of whether they were an athlete – reach their potential.

After working for several years after retirement as a basketball official, he returned to MHS in an official capacity as assistant athletic director, a role in which he served until 2019. He was named Indiana District 5 Athletic Director of the Year twice – in 1999 and again in 2018.

A veteran of the Indiana Army National Guard, Mr. Albertson was a gifted athlete and continued to enjoy participating in sports until late in his life. As examples, he was a four-year starter on the basketball team at Pekin High School, played competitive softball into his 60’s, and shot his age (or better) a number of times on the golf course. He still ranks 6th on the boy’s basketball career scoring list at Pekin/Eastern High School, having scored more than 1000 points.

Mr. Albertson is survived by his wife of 66 years, Rosie, his son Scott (Susan) of Carmel, and his daughter Amy (Randy) York of Defiance, Ohio. He was a loving “Papa” to eight grandchildren – Adam Hargis (Hector) of New York City, Joshua York of Indianapolis, Brandon (Brooke) Pope of Kokomo, Stephanie York of West Palm Springs, California, Jessica (Robin) Kraus of Westfield, Devin (Sarah) Pope of Kokomo, Kaitlin (Nathan) Ellis of Plainfield, and Trevor (Jessi) York of Liberty Center, Ohio, as well as nine great-grandchildren – Conner, Callie, Gracie, Haley, Ava, Mila, Albey, Kinley and Ivy. He is also survived by two brothers, Keith Albertson of Salem and Ronnie Albertson of Clarksville, as well as a sister, Carolyn Hobson of New Albany. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Michael Albertson, and an infant sister, Loretha.

Funeral services for Mr. Albertson will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 16, at the Morristown High School gymnasium, 223 S. Patterson Street. Interment will follow at Asbury Cemetery in Morristown.

Mr. Albertson’s family will receive visitors from 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Friday, December 15 and from 10:00 until the time of the service on Saturday.

Services have been entrusted to Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 124 E. North St. in Morristown.

Mr. Albertson’s family wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the administration and staff at Majestic Care of Carmel.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to either the Greater Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, The American Heart Association, or the Morristown High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.

Online condolences may be shared with Lowell’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.

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