Stephen Franklin Fowler, 81, of Spartanburg, SC, passed away peacefully on December 21, 2018.
Born on November 8, 1937, in Clarksville, TX; son of Franklin G and Fay Nichols Fowler.
Graduated from high school in 1955; joined the U.S. Army serving three years; returned to Texas with the desire to become the first member of his family to graduate from college.
Rode a school bus every day to Paris Junior College. It was on that bus that a romance blossomed, as he began saving a seat each morning for another student – a pretty redhead named, Abby Marie Carter. They were married February 24, 1962, and in the same decade had both a son, Scott and a daughter, Marietta (Mary).
Earned not only a bachelor's degree, but also a PhD in statistics from the University of Texas at Austin.
In 1973, moved their family to Spartanburg for a job as an Operations Research analyst with Milliken for the last 24 years of his career. He was a generous and brilliant colleague, and those were happy years for him, full of productive work and strong friendships.
Steve could make furniture, explain why the sky was blue and quote long passages from Macbeth. But his most beloved characteristic was his laugh – a knee-slapping, hand-clapping, wonderfully infectious, absolutely genuine expression of delight. He used that hearty laugh frequently, because he so often found joy in life.
Loved a good story, and when you told him one he listened like you were the most important person in the world. He was a compassionate man who was curious about everything.
Loved his family deeply – his wife, his two kids and the six grandchildren he frequently entranced with his own made-up stories of fierce bears and daring rescues.
His capacity for love also extended to fossils, pocket knives, whistling, full moons, old Broadway show tunes, his rescued mutt dog, Andy, his own homemade chili and a grocery sack full of books from the Spartanburg County Public Library.
In his retirement years, served for seven years as the volunteer janitor at the Unitarian church, participated with his friends in the monthly humanist discussions and seldom missed a Sunday service.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Abby Marie Carter Fowler; son Scott Fowler (Elise) of Denver, NC; daughter, Mary Fowler Lawson (Rick) of Boiling Springs; six grandchildren, Tristan and Paige Lawson; Chapel, Salem, London and Georgia Fowler.
A celebration of his life was held at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, January 6, 2019, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg (210 Henry Place).
In lieu of flowers, the family requested memorials be made to either The Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg (P.O. Box 1942, Spartanburg, SC, 29304); Friends of the Spartanburg County Public Libraries (151 South Church Street, Spartanburg, SC, 29306); or the Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home (686 Jeff Davis Dr., Spartanburg, SC, 29303).
Bobo Funeral Chapel and Cremation
Spartanburg, SC
Published in Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Dec. 28, 2018
Born on November 8, 1937, in Clarksville, TX; son of Franklin G and Fay Nichols Fowler.
Graduated from high school in 1955; joined the U.S. Army serving three years; returned to Texas with the desire to become the first member of his family to graduate from college.
Rode a school bus every day to Paris Junior College. It was on that bus that a romance blossomed, as he began saving a seat each morning for another student – a pretty redhead named, Abby Marie Carter. They were married February 24, 1962, and in the same decade had both a son, Scott and a daughter, Marietta (Mary).
Earned not only a bachelor's degree, but also a PhD in statistics from the University of Texas at Austin.
In 1973, moved their family to Spartanburg for a job as an Operations Research analyst with Milliken for the last 24 years of his career. He was a generous and brilliant colleague, and those were happy years for him, full of productive work and strong friendships.
Steve could make furniture, explain why the sky was blue and quote long passages from Macbeth. But his most beloved characteristic was his laugh – a knee-slapping, hand-clapping, wonderfully infectious, absolutely genuine expression of delight. He used that hearty laugh frequently, because he so often found joy in life.
Loved a good story, and when you told him one he listened like you were the most important person in the world. He was a compassionate man who was curious about everything.
Loved his family deeply – his wife, his two kids and the six grandchildren he frequently entranced with his own made-up stories of fierce bears and daring rescues.
His capacity for love also extended to fossils, pocket knives, whistling, full moons, old Broadway show tunes, his rescued mutt dog, Andy, his own homemade chili and a grocery sack full of books from the Spartanburg County Public Library.
In his retirement years, served for seven years as the volunteer janitor at the Unitarian church, participated with his friends in the monthly humanist discussions and seldom missed a Sunday service.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Abby Marie Carter Fowler; son Scott Fowler (Elise) of Denver, NC; daughter, Mary Fowler Lawson (Rick) of Boiling Springs; six grandchildren, Tristan and Paige Lawson; Chapel, Salem, London and Georgia Fowler.
A celebration of his life was held at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, January 6, 2019, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg (210 Henry Place).
In lieu of flowers, the family requested memorials be made to either The Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg (P.O. Box 1942, Spartanburg, SC, 29304); Friends of the Spartanburg County Public Libraries (151 South Church Street, Spartanburg, SC, 29306); or the Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home (686 Jeff Davis Dr., Spartanburg, SC, 29303).
Bobo Funeral Chapel and Cremation
Spartanburg, SC
Published in Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Dec. 28, 2018
Stephen Franklin Fowler, 81, of Spartanburg, SC, passed away peacefully on December 21, 2018.
Born on November 8, 1937, in Clarksville, TX; son of Franklin G and Fay Nichols Fowler.
Graduated from high school in 1955; joined the U.S. Army serving three years; returned to Texas with the desire to become the first member of his family to graduate from college.
Rode a school bus every day to Paris Junior College. It was on that bus that a romance blossomed, as he began saving a seat each morning for another student – a pretty redhead named, Abby Marie Carter. They were married February 24, 1962, and in the same decade had both a son, Scott and a daughter, Marietta (Mary).
Earned not only a bachelor's degree, but also a PhD in statistics from the University of Texas at Austin.
In 1973, moved their family to Spartanburg for a job as an Operations Research analyst with Milliken for the last 24 years of his career. He was a generous and brilliant colleague, and those were happy years for him, full of productive work and strong friendships.
Steve could make furniture, explain why the sky was blue and quote long passages from Macbeth. But his most beloved characteristic was his laugh – a knee-slapping, hand-clapping, wonderfully infectious, absolutely genuine expression of delight. He used that hearty laugh frequently, because he so often found joy in life.
Loved a good story, and when you told him one he listened like you were the most important person in the world. He was a compassionate man who was curious about everything.
Loved his family deeply – his wife, his two kids and the six grandchildren he frequently entranced with his own made-up stories of fierce bears and daring rescues.
His capacity for love also extended to fossils, pocket knives, whistling, full moons, old Broadway show tunes, his rescued mutt dog, Andy, his own homemade chili and a grocery sack full of books from the Spartanburg County Public Library.
In his retirement years, served for seven years as the volunteer janitor at the Unitarian church, participated with his friends in the monthly humanist discussions and seldom missed a Sunday service.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Abby Marie Carter Fowler; son Scott Fowler (Elise) of Denver, NC; daughter, Mary Fowler Lawson (Rick) of Boiling Springs; six grandchildren, Tristan and Paige Lawson; Chapel, Salem, London and Georgia Fowler.
A celebration of his life was held at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, January 6, 2019, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg (210 Henry Place).
In lieu of flowers, the family requested memorials be made to either The Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg (P.O. Box 1942, Spartanburg, SC, 29304); Friends of the Spartanburg County Public Libraries (151 South Church Street, Spartanburg, SC, 29306); or the Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home (686 Jeff Davis Dr., Spartanburg, SC, 29303).
Bobo Funeral Chapel and Cremation
Spartanburg, SC
Published in Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Dec. 28, 2018
Born on November 8, 1937, in Clarksville, TX; son of Franklin G and Fay Nichols Fowler.
Graduated from high school in 1955; joined the U.S. Army serving three years; returned to Texas with the desire to become the first member of his family to graduate from college.
Rode a school bus every day to Paris Junior College. It was on that bus that a romance blossomed, as he began saving a seat each morning for another student – a pretty redhead named, Abby Marie Carter. They were married February 24, 1962, and in the same decade had both a son, Scott and a daughter, Marietta (Mary).
Earned not only a bachelor's degree, but also a PhD in statistics from the University of Texas at Austin.
In 1973, moved their family to Spartanburg for a job as an Operations Research analyst with Milliken for the last 24 years of his career. He was a generous and brilliant colleague, and those were happy years for him, full of productive work and strong friendships.
Steve could make furniture, explain why the sky was blue and quote long passages from Macbeth. But his most beloved characteristic was his laugh – a knee-slapping, hand-clapping, wonderfully infectious, absolutely genuine expression of delight. He used that hearty laugh frequently, because he so often found joy in life.
Loved a good story, and when you told him one he listened like you were the most important person in the world. He was a compassionate man who was curious about everything.
Loved his family deeply – his wife, his two kids and the six grandchildren he frequently entranced with his own made-up stories of fierce bears and daring rescues.
His capacity for love also extended to fossils, pocket knives, whistling, full moons, old Broadway show tunes, his rescued mutt dog, Andy, his own homemade chili and a grocery sack full of books from the Spartanburg County Public Library.
In his retirement years, served for seven years as the volunteer janitor at the Unitarian church, participated with his friends in the monthly humanist discussions and seldom missed a Sunday service.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Abby Marie Carter Fowler; son Scott Fowler (Elise) of Denver, NC; daughter, Mary Fowler Lawson (Rick) of Boiling Springs; six grandchildren, Tristan and Paige Lawson; Chapel, Salem, London and Georgia Fowler.
A celebration of his life was held at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, January 6, 2019, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg (210 Henry Place).
In lieu of flowers, the family requested memorials be made to either The Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg (P.O. Box 1942, Spartanburg, SC, 29304); Friends of the Spartanburg County Public Libraries (151 South Church Street, Spartanburg, SC, 29306); or the Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home (686 Jeff Davis Dr., Spartanburg, SC, 29303).
Bobo Funeral Chapel and Cremation
Spartanburg, SC
Published in Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Dec. 28, 2018
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