Credit: Photo by Richard Whittaker

As part of Austin Red Week, several panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt are on display. If you happen to be at check-out #9 at Whole Foods Market at Fifth & Lamar, look up at the quilt over head. This one bears particular significance for the Chronicle: It was sewn in part in memory of Ed Lowry, one of the founding forces behind this publication.

In addition to being a teacher at Southern Methodist University and at the University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale, he was also director of CinemaTexas, and our original managing editor. Ed passed on Oct. 13, 1985, but over a pleasant lunch today under the quilt with ex-managing editor Sidney Brammer and current and longtime ad rep Carolyn Phillips reminiscing about Ed’s gentle, affable manner back in those original cramped quarters, it was made it clear to me that Ed’s influence has helped shape the Chronicle to this day.

The quilt panels remain on display through this weekend.

This article appears in October 16 • 2009.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.