Donald Edwin Fowler

Rev. Donald Edwin Fowler, 87, of Albrightsville, PA, a retired Episcopal priest, died
on January 31, 2012, at Heritage Hill Senior Community in the Shepherd’s Garden,
Weatherly, PA. Father Fowler had been a resident in the dementia unit at Heritage Hill
since February of 2011.

Born in Toronto, Canada, his family moved to the United States when he was quite
young. Growing up mostly in Maine, he graduated from Bangor ME High School in
1941. After graduation, Don entered Middlebury College in Vermont. He enlisted in the
Air Force during WWII and was stationed in Burma. He returned to Middlebury in the
fall of 1946 and completed his studies in June of 1949. Don liked to tell people that on
June 13, 1949 he “got his Bachelor’s in the morning and lost it in the afternoon” when he
married Shirley Elaine Davidson.

Don began work as an actuarial trainee at Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company in
Newark NJ. This work was interrupted by a recall to serve his country during the Korean
War. He returned a year later to continue working at Mutual Benefit.

In the fall of 1963, he entered the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria VA and
completed his Masters of Divinity program in the spring of 1966.

Father Fowler’s first church was the Church of the Good Shepherd in Hamburg NJ.
He served there from 1966 to 1976. While residing in Hamburg, “The Rev.” was the
Hamburg Fire Department chaplain, a founding member of the Hamburg First Aid Squad
and a member of the Wallkill Valley Rotary. He was Hamburg’s Bicentennial Citizen of
the year in 1976.

In August of 1976, he and Shirley moved to rural Labrador, Canada, where there were
no roads. He served a scattered flock by boat in the summer and by snow mobile in the
winter. Five years later he and Shirley moved to the island of Newfoundland, where there
were roads.

Returning to the United States in 1987, Father Fowler served in Winn and Lincoln ME
until his retirement in 1991. He continued to serve the church as a supply priest and
long-term interim priest.

Moving to the Poconos in PA in the spring of 2007, they were warned about the harsh
winters; however they mentioned a list of their previous residences. Shortly upon
arriving, they began attending Faith Lutheran Church in Blakeslee, PA. Don led the
between services bible study. He helped with Habitat for Humanity builds and enjoyed
riding along on Meals on Wheels deliveries. He became active in the Indian Mountain
Lake development.

Besides his wife of almost 63 years, Shirley, he is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth
Larson and her husband, Donald, of Albrightsville and his son, James Fowler and his
wife, Kathleen, of Virginia Beach VA and his grandchildren, Andrew Fowler and his
wife Sarah of Dunkirk MD, Courtney Riepe of Philadelphia PA and Bradley Fowler of New York NY. He is also survived by his sister, Doris Munson of Wilton ME, several
nieces and nephews and many loving friends.

He was predeceased by his parents William and Gladys (Mott) Fowler and his brother-in-
law Holman Munson.

A Celebration of his Life will take place at Faith Lutheran Church Route 940 in
Blakeslee PA at 11AM on February 11, 2012. Friends may there call from 10AM until
the time of the service. The Rev. Wayne R. Kaufman will officiate.

Please no flowers!
Memorial donations may be made to Faith Lutheran Church P.O. Box 228 Blakeslee,
PA 18610 or Top of the Mountain Food Pantry P.O. Box 1095 Albrightsville, PA 18210.

online registry and condolences may be signed at www.griffithsfuneralhomes.com