Robert W. Fowler Sr.

He was born August 21, 1931 at the Fowler homestead on the Russell Rd., in Madison, Maine, the son of Ambrose and Eva May (Johnson) Fowler. He lived in Madison most of his life.

He graduated from Madison High School in the class of 1950. Bob was an avid and supportive fan of the Madison High School “Bulldogs”!

He owned and operated a dairy farm and also grew beans, corn and squash for factories. In 1965, they sold off the cattle, and moved to Hadley, Massachusetts, where he worked for Kentfield’s Farm. While living in Hadley, MA, he attended and was a member of the North Leaveritt Baptist Church, N. Leaveritt MA. He helped as a volunteer for many activities there. He was a fan of his son’s as they participated in cub scouts, boy scouts, little-league baseball and music interest in bands, Hopkins Academy Jr. High and High School band. In 1976, the family returned to Maine, to build their present home on an acre of the original farm. While building, he was hired as a grinder operator by Penntech after they left, he then returned to Madison Paper also as a grinder operator. Bob retired from Madison Paper in 1992.

On October 25, 1958, he married one of his first bean pickers, the former Irene Ina Hayden. On May 17, 1960, they had a son Robert W. Fowler Jr. and then on November 13, 1961 they had a second son, Keith Scott Fowler.

Bob enjoyed music, he first started out playing the trumpet, followed by a baritone horn, a guitar, and a valve trombone. He played in the high school band, the All Kennebec Valley School Band, the American Legion Band, the Deerfield Valley Community Band in MA, the Old Crow Indian Band in Farmington, ME and a member of the Skowhegan Community Band.

He also loved his vegetable and berry gardens. He displayed fresh vegetables at the Skowhegan State Fair, while his wife canned and froze vegetables, she displayed her canned goods as well as in the Grange booth.

He joined the Juvenile Grange, 65 year member and past master of the Kennebec Valley #128 Grange, member of Somerset Pomona and State Grange and a member of the Somerset Grange in Norridgewock. Bob was also a member of the United Baptist Church in Madison being baptized in April of 1943 by H. Clay Mitchell.

He is survived by his sons, Robert Fowler, Jr. and Keith Fowler; Brother-in-laws, Delbert Hayden and families and David Hayden and families; sister-in-law Arlene Fowler; nephews, Ernest Hilton and Family, David Fowler and family, Edward Fowler and family; nieces, Shirley St. Peter and Family, Patricia Violette and family, Bev Salisbury and family and Sylvia Hilton

He is predeceased by his mother, his father, his wife Irene of 58 years, his sister, Edith Hilton, his three brothers, Merle, Erlon, and Thomas Fowler; one nephew Ben Hilton and one great-nephew Benjamin Fowler.

His family would like to thank the ER Staff at Redington-Fairview General Hospital and the ICU cardiac staff (4th floor) at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston for the care our dad received during his time there. We would also like to thank the volunteers who provided the handmade blanket to our dad while he was at CMMC.

Visitation hours from 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday February 28, 2018 at the Christ Community Fellowship, 43 Maple St., Madison, Maine, with a celebration of life to follow at 3 p.m. with Pastor Tobin Curtis officiating. Interment at Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison will be in the spring.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan, Maine.