Thomas Willis Fowler, Jr.

FOWLER

Thomas W. "TW" Fowler, Jr. died Sunday, September 5, 2004.

He was a Ramblin? Wreck from Georgia Tech!  Thomas W. "TW" Fowler, Jr. was born ?at the foot of Polecat Mountain? in Waleska, Georgia, on March 23, 1923.  The Cherokee County native was the son of the late Myrtle and T. Willis Fowler, Sr. and brother of Louise Fowler Gartrell of Atlanta and Chuck Fowler of Daytona Beach. TW grew up in Atlanta and was active in Boy Scouts where he played in the Drum & Bugle Corps and achieved Eagle Scout.  He also played lead guitar in his own band, once ?cutting? a 75-rpm record of ?The Walbash Canonball.?  In addition to playing many other musical instruments, TW excelled on the tennis courts.  In 1941 he and his partner Carl Maddox won the coveted No. 1 Doubles title at the UNC Chapel Hill Southern Prep Tennis Championships.  He was a member of the 1939 Atlanta Junior Davis Cup team and after leading his Boys High team to the Georgia State Tennis Championship title in 1941, he went on to star for his beloved Georgia Tech.



At Ga. Tech, TW joined Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and on the tennis courts quickly established himself as one of the school?s top players.  Soon after starting at Tech, however, his collegiate career was interrupted by World War II.  TW joined the U.S. Marine Corps and became a Marine Fighter pilot based in Daytona Beach where he met his bride of 58 years, Dorothy Miller Fowler.  



Upon his Honorable discharge as Captain from the Marines where he established himself as a top fighter pilot instructor at the Pensacola, FL Flight School, TW returned to Ga. Tech.  Soon thereafter he achieved one of his top athletic successes when he won at the No. 2 singles position in the SEC Championship Tennis Tournament, helping his Yellow Jackets win the 1946 SEC Tennis Championship title.  Today his 1946 championship team and individual photos are prominently displayed in the tennis section of the Ga. Tech Edge Athletic Center located at the corner of Techwood Dr. and Bobby Dodd Way.



Upon graduating in 1948 with a degree in Industrial Management, Tom began a long and rewarding career with Sears, Roebuck & Company.  He also began parenting and guiding the lives of his and Dorothy?s four children Martha Malloy of Dacula, Mary Sue Lindsey, wife of Phil Lindsey, of Lake Martin, Alabama, Tom Fowler, husband of Paula Fowler, of Dunwoody and Merrimeth Oliver of Atlanta.



A former member of Epworth Methodist Church in Atlanta, Tom and his family moved to ?the country? and joined Oak Grove United Methodist Church in 1955.  He was an active leader at Oak Grove serving in many capacities including several years as Sunday School Teacher and playing a vital role in helping the small church grow to support its now large, suburban congregation.  In possibly his most difficult yet rewarding role, in the late 1960?s he chaired Oak Grove?s capital fund raising committee, successfully securing enough financial contributions to build the church?s current large and beautiful sanctuary, office and education buildings.  



Tom was also an active community leader, serving as a little league baseball coach and as President of the Original Clairmont Little League.  He later started his post-collegiate tennis career winning countless tournaments and annually achieving top State of Georgia, Southern and National rankings in singles and doubles.



Following his outstanding 33 years with Sears where he steadily moved up the management ranks, he retired at the young age of 56 and concentrated on teaching tennis and giving his affections not only to Dorothy but also to his growing brood of grandchildren:  Michael Malloy, husband of Jillian Malloy, of Tampa, Kathy Malloy Hollis, wife of Darren Hollis, of Dacula, Shannon Lindsey Brandt, wife of Chris Brandt, of Auburn, Alabama, Michael Lindsey, husband of Tyanne Lindsey,  of San Antonio, Texas, Megan Winn Freeman, wife of Stephen

Freeman, Thomas Fowler and Katie Fowler of Dunwoody and Brad Duke of Tampa.  



Tom and Dorothy spent the past several years traveling back and forth from their Atlanta home to their beloved home in St. Petersburg, Florida, and enjoying the comfort and love not only from their children and grandchildren, but also from their great-grandchildren Hunter, Caitlin and Jack Hollis and Christian and Caroline Brandt.  TW was a hard working family man and lived a wonderful and rewarding life.



Among Tom?s many surviving extended family members are nieces, Connie Gartrell Williams, wife of Ron Williams, and Glenda Gartrell Dunbar, wife of Mark Dunbar.  



A Memorial Service and Celebration of Tom Fowler?s life will be held on Wednesday, September 8th, at 2:30 p.m. at the Oak Grove United Methodist Church.  There will be a gathering of friends and family in the church parlor immediately following the service.  A private family burial service will be held at the Oak Grove Cemetery.   Memorial contributions may be made to the Oak Grove United Methodist Church, 1722 Oak Grove Road, Decatur, GA 30033.  The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 7th , at A. S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home.