Tra Lowder, 48, has lived in Sequoyah County since she was 8-years-old.

For the time that she has been here, she has made a name for herself at Liberty Public Schools as school secretary, where she is affectionately known as “Ms. Tra.”

Lowder, a graduate of Liberty herself, went on to attend Muldrow High School, graduating in 1994. She is also a mother to three: Tracey, Jenna and Madi-Cate.

She said she first started working at Liberty Public School as a substitute teacher.

“Shortly after my oldest daughter, Tracey, started attending school there I began substituting, and I knew I’d be there forever,” she said, adding “the kids make it worth it.”

When she’s not spending time at Liberty or giving her dog, Carlee, rides, Lowder said she spends time with her grandchildren, Koko, MJ and Katen.

“I love cooking with them and teaching them my ways around the kitchen,” she said. “I even bought them plastic knives to help teach them.”

Something Lowder said she likes about Sequoyah County is how people come together when someone is in need.

She recalls when her youngest daughter, Madi-Cate, passed away, and how so many people in the community came to help her.

“Everybody in this county brought me food, showed me love, prayers; there were many fundraisers,” she said, stating how grateful she was during such a hard time.

In 2023, she and another family hosted a fundraiser in the K-Club, raising over $15,000.

“It was called Rainbows and Riptides, held in honor of Madi-Cate and another young girl, Katelyn Stephens, who had passed away due to cancer shortly after Madi Cate did,” she said.

Lowder said she is also proud to have started the Madi- Cate Community Service organization, which hosts all sorts of drives.

“Some of them include book, blood and food drives,” she said. “For example, in 2019, the organization hosted a book drive for the Muldrow Public Library that was a big success.”

With her daughter’s passing, Lowder has also became an advocate and volunteer for children with cancer, often taking time to do what is asked and needed.

Through her dedication to Liberty School, tireless community service, advocacy for children battling cancer, and with her family close, Lowder has a mission of hope and generosity. Her story is a testament to the strength found in community, the resilience of the human spirit, and the enduring impact one person can make in the lives of many.