April 10, 1926 - February 14, 2015
Dorothy M. Fowler Obituary
Dorothy Fowler, renown sculptor, passed away peacefully on February 14, 2015. A Memorial service will be held Monday, February 23rd, at First Presbyterian Church of Spokane, at 1:30, with a reception to follow. Known for her great zeal for life, Dorothy fought through years of arthritis and eventually cancer, accomplishing more in those years than many do in perfect health. This strong, fighting spirit remained in her to the end, causing all who knew her to acknowledge that this was truly a special and unique woman. Born on April 10, 1926, in Portland, Oregon, Dorothy spent her childhood in Butte, Montana. Growing up in extremely adverse conditions, Dorothy learned at an early age to overcome her adversities and cling to what is good. Throughout her life she gave credit to her faith for her inner strength. Graduating from Pacific Grove (California) High School in 1944, she then spent a year at San Jose State College, majoring in art. However, she would leave the pursuit of her art career to marry William Thompson and start a family in Spokane, Washington. They went on to have three children and Dorothy spent the next seventeen years working and raising her son and two daughters, focusing her love of art into crafts with her children and an incredible ability to turn fabric into everything from hand-tailored clothes, upholstery and window coverings, to a perfectly trimmed-out interior for her son's '53 Ford! In 1966, Dorothy married Dr. Jack Fowler. She devoted the first thirteen years of their 43-year marriage to the man she loved, their six children, Jack's visions, dental practice, and insatiable love of adventure. Whether sitting next to him at the dental chair or co-piloting one of their many restored antique airplanes, they were inseparable. For years they flew into the jungles of Guatemala to do missionary dental work. Dorothy would become an accomplished pilot herself and president of the local "99s". One of Jack's greatest visions, Schweitzer Basin/Mountain, would become a large part of the entire family's life. The love of skiing at Schweitzer has now been passed down to the great-grandchildren, and the legacy of the resort, including Dorothy's vision of a large chapel which includes dorms that have accommodated hundreds of youth groups over the years, is the source of many wonderful memories for our families and countless others. In 1979, Dorothy's journey took another turn, toward art at last! Starting first with a pottery class at the YWCA, she would quickly discover that her real talent was in sculpting. At 55 years old Dorothy exhibited her first sculpture during an art show at Spokane Falls Community College, which proved to be the beginning of an illustrious career that spanned three countries on three continents. From massive Cathedral doors to minutely detailed work such as the Princess Mother of Thailand, there was nothing she was afraid to try...and nothing she sculpted that didn't win the hearts of countless art lovers. She has become an inspiration to all who think that at a certain age your time and opportunities to achieve excellence are past, and many of her greatest works, such as the Michael Anderson sculpture and the doors of the "Our Lady of Lourdes" Cathedral will bless the people of Spokane for years. She will be loved and missed by all who knew her. Dorothy is survived by her brother Gerald (Alice) Morgan, son Keith (Betty) Thompson of Spokane, daughter Deborah (Guy) Huestis of Great Falls, MT, and daughter Trudy (Bruce) Burda of Spokane, as well as stepson Dan (Mary) Fowler of Doylestown, PA, and stepdaughter Penny (Rob) Shephard of Spokane, twelve grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jack, his eldest son, Tom, and her brother Roger Murray. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Schweitzer Chapel Fund.