Fowler, Joseph William 1859-1935

FOWLER, ALLBEE, GRAHAM, JORDAN, OTCHECK

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 7/21/2010 at 13:40:14

Grinnell Herald (Grinnell, Iowa) Dec. 17, 1935

AN OBITUARY OF THE LATE J.W. FOWLER

Joseph William Fowler, known to his friends as Billy, was born October 31, 1859, in Indiana. His mother died when he was five years old. His father brought him to Muscatine county, Iowa, in 1867, where Billy worked and educated himself. On October 25, 1882, he married Melvina Allbee. To this union were born nine children, three of whom died in infancy, Florence passing on at the age of five. Ruth Fowler Graham died about one year ago.

He is survived by his wife, Melvina, two daughters, Theda Jordan of Riverside, Calif., and Eunice Otcheck of Grinnell, Ia.; two sons, Weaver of Cedar Rapids and Raymond of Winterset, Iowa; seven grandchildren and one great grandchild; also by his stepmother, Martha Fowler; two brothers, J.P. Fowler and H.L. Fowler, and one sister, Addie Fowler of Winfield.

In their early married life Billy and Vina moved to a farm near Grinnell, where they built a creamery and dairy. Later they moved the creamery and their residence into Grinnell, remaining in the creamery business thirty-two years. After this time he moved onto a farm at Whittier, Iowa, which remained his residence to the last.

He took his first real vacation and visit to California and had been there one week with his daughter, when he was accidentally struck by an automobile.

He was a member of the Methodist church of Grinnell, Iowa.

He was a total abstainer from tobaccos and liquors, a true husband and friend, an example of character for his children, honest, very industrious and ambitious to provide, highly esteemed and loved by his family and children.

Funeral services were held Tuesday at 2 o'clock at the Turner Funeral Home at Cedar Rapids. Interment was in the Memorial cemetery at Cedar Rapids. Those attending from Grinnell were Mr. and Mrs. Gus Otcheck and Bobby Ray, Mr. and Mrs. Winfield, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Brown, Mr. and Mrs. William Esler, Mrs. Myron Plum, Mabel Plum and Mrs. Martha Fowler. Mrs. J.W. Fowler and Mrs. O.D. Jordan accompanied Mr. Fowler's body to Cedar Rapids. Mrs. Jordan left for her home yesterday.