She said she enjoyed "playing around with numbers". She also liked helping women through her role with Soroptimist International.
The volunteer group, the name of which means "best of sisters", has the mission to transform the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment and enabling opportunities.
Lowes joined the Tauranga branch of Soroptimist International (New Zealand) in the 1990s not long after arriving from Scotland and was branch secretary and president from 2003 to 2004.
She has been president and secretary of New Zealand North sector; she has been secretary of the Tauranga branch of the National Council of Women since 2015 and branch delegate to national conferences.
She was also the National Council of Women representative on Tauranga City Council's Suffrage 125 committee and held New Zealand's highest role as Representative for the South West Pacific to Soroptimist International.
As part of Suffrage 125 celebrations, she was involved in co-ordinating a range of events through the Soroptimists, including art exhibitions, tree planting, community celebration days and book launches.
It was the example of other Soroptimists that spurred Lowes' motivation, she said.
"A lot of them are older than I am and they have done such great work in the past. It's up to me as a younger member to keep things going," she said.
When asked how it felt to be recognised for the decades of dedication to her various roles, Lowes became lost for words.
"The fact that somebody thought I've done enough to put my name forward, is really quite [humbling]."
While the varied roles don't appear to be stopping anytime soon, neither will Lowes.
