John William Fowler, Jr. passed away August, 21, 2017 at the age of 97, surrounded by family in Mullins, SC, where he had devoted so much of his life. Among the many accolades enjoyed over the century, Mr. Fowler will be most remembered as teacher, coach, tennis champion, war veteran, friend, brother and uncle. Services were held August 25, 2017 at Mullins First Baptist Church at four o’clock pm.
The son of the late John William Fowler, Sr. and Mittie Pender Fowler, Mr. Fowler was born in Mullins and educated in the schools of Marion and Darlington Counties. A standout student, he was class valedictorian, student body and class president, and an All-State basketball player. In 1941, he was graduated from Furman University where he held the Lawton General Excellence Scholarship provided by the Chairman of the Furman Board of Trustees. He was a varsity athlete in tennis and basketball, a member of Block F, the newspaper and magazine staffs, vice president of the Adelphian Literary Society, and a Senior Class officer. He was also a graduate of Strayer Business College in Washington, D.C.
After completing Officer Candidate School in Monmouth, New Jersey during World War II, he was commissioned in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and later transferred to the Air Corps as an intelligence officer with special assignments in the detached service with the U.S. Navy. Afterward, he was sent to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater as a Captain with a B-29 bombardment group where he participated in the Okinawa Campaign.
He served as a classroom teacher, athletic coach, guidance counselor and administrator in the schools of Spartanburg, Dillon, Mullins and Hendersonville, N.C. He was presented meritorious service awards in the field of education by three S.C. governors: Robert McNair, John West and Richard Riley. His involvement in the employment of the handicapped drew national attention and he served on the President’s White House Committee on the Employment of the Handicapped. His many former students will remember him for his innovative ways of teaching English Literature and Creative Writing. Among his distinguished scholars was Dr. Ben Bernanke, who served two terms as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. He was the recipient of the Drew Field Athlete of the Year Award and Mullins Citizen of the Year.
As an athlete, Fowler won more than 50 state tennis championships in Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. He was a member of the Southern Senior Tennis Team. He played semi-professional basketball for four years in the Western North Carolina Basketball League. In 1941, he won the first city tennis championships in Mullins and went on to become a triple winner with teammate D.L. Edwards in Men’s Doubles, and with his sister Joyce in the Mixed Doubles title.
He was a member of the Southern Senior Tennis Team, Retired Officers Association, Reserve Officers Association, the Marion County Library Board of Trustees, Furman Paladin Club, and the Mullins First Baptist Church.
He is survived by his brother, Fred R. Fowler, and his wife, Ann, of Mullins, and sister-in-law Sara Huggins Fowler of Fayetteville, Ga. Seven nieces: Mary Emily Parrott Bryan of Columbia, Joy Parrott Chandler of Florence, Jacqueline Fowler Hillesland of Augusta, Ga., Karen Fowler Crowe and Mitzi Fowler Raymond both of Fayetteville, Ga., Teresa Fowler Smith of Florence, Brenda Fowler Wensil of Charlotte, NC; Paul William Parrott of Florence, Stephen Roland Fowler of Lexington, William Frederick “Rick” Fowler of Mullins. Great nieces: Bridget Fowler Rush, Julia Parrott Hickman, Joyce Nicole Crowe, Laura Fowler, Ashley Smith Campbell, Haley Smith Bass. Great Nephews: John William Frederick “Will” Fowler, Brian Parrott, Emerson Beasley, Gerald Beasley, Timothy Sullivan, John Paul Sullivan, Joey Fowler, Carl Joseph Raymond, Steven Raymond and Daniel Raymond. He is survived by seven great, great nieces, and four great, great nephews as well.
The family received friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.August 24, 2017 at Cox-Collins Funeral Home, South Main Street, Mullins, SC.
Flowers optional. Memorials may be made to the Mullins First Baptist Church or to the charity of one’s choice.