Widows Want to Remarry, Request To Keep Pension Benefits

A bill regarding benefits for families of fallen and severely disabled officers, firefighters and state troopers passed in the Senate Monday, but without a provision that allows their widows of those fallen to remarry with benefits.

Jolin Lowry lost her husband, Tacoma police Officer William Lowry, more than 12 years ago when he was killed in the line of duty. She spoke at a press conference Monday urging lawmakers to allow widows to remarry without losing their benefits.

She said she’s dated twice since her husband’s death, but she cannot remarry because she would then lose the pension benefit provided to surviving spouses of fallen officers.

”I'm not going sacrifice my daughters' and my well-being to make a hardship for us because I choose to get remarried. I will stay alone,” Lowry said.

The widow of Federal Way police Officer Patrick Maher also sat in an Olympia hearing room to fight for the option to remarry and keep her husband’s pension.

Maher was killed in the summer of 2003.

“If I ever want to have any more children, I will have to do it out of wedlock and that would not be my preference,” Renee Maher said.

With six law enforcement officers killed last year, supporters of the change hoped they could succeed this year.

“Personally, I want my children to have a father figure if I die, and I want them to be able to wake up and say, you know, ‘daddy’ basically if I'm gone,” said Skeeter Manos of the Lakewood Police Independent Guild.

The entire Senate Ways and Means Committee, Democrats and Republicans together, decided to strip that provision from a law that makes other improvements in law enforcement benefits.

”We have to do what's prudent and what's right and not be swayed by emotions,” said Senator Margarita Prentice.

Lawmakers are worried about the potential cost to the state's workers’ compensation and law enforcement pension funds.

“We have to have money enough to go around for when we need it,” Prentice said.

The bill has to go back through the House and Senate because the House voted to allow widows to remarry and keep their pension benefits.