Garth Douglas Fowler grew up in the tiny mill town of Woodfibre on the edge of Howe Sound with his parents Hilton Fowler and Phyllis Cheney, his brother Lyn, and half-sister Marie. Fishing on the Sound and hiking and skiing in the coastal mountains gave him a love of the outdoors.
In his teens, Garth moved to the lower mainland, and after taking jobs with CN Rail and at the aluminum smelter in Kitimat, he joined the RCAF as an aircraft technician. In 1958, he was selected to be in the Honour Guard for HRH Princess Margaret's tour of Western Canada. While in the RCAF, he married Joan Harrison, and together they had four children.
After his RCAF service, he continued to serve country and community as a member of the Edmonton Municipal Police. He was initially the youngest constable on the force, walking the frigid beat in a buffalo coat and breaking up bar fights in rough neighborhoods.
After 6 years in Edmonton, he and his family moved to Victoria, where he joined the Oak Bay Police Department and served for 30 years, retiring as Staff Sergeant in 1996. Garth was a dedicated first responder and a straightforward and compassionate officer who served with honour and dignity.
In 1990 he married Kathleen Rafferty, and acquired four stepchildren. Together Garth and Kathleen traveled the world, adventuring through what he good-naturedly referred to as "piles of old rocks" in Greece, Costa Rica, Iceland, Turkey and many other locations. They camped, hiked, cross-country skied, and attended lots of concerts and plays. They celebrated their 30th Anniversary in July, 2020.
Garth had many talents and skills. He was famous for his beautifully crafted fishing flies and was past-president of the Haig- Brown Fly Fishing Association. A remarkable photographer, he leaves a legacy of beautiful nature photographs and scenes of life in many corners of the world. He became a fine woodworker and embraced the DIY gene he had inherited from his polymath father.
Garth will be remembered for his quiet humility, kind decency, and his ability to tackle any challenge with dignity and calm. He was a caring father and stepfather, and a wonderful, dearly loved husband. In every sense of the term, he was a good man.
He will be forever missed.
Predeceased by his wife Joan, son Brian and grandson Timothy, he is survived by his wife Kathleen, brother Lyn (Shirley), sons Mike and James (Janet), daughter Stacey (Emery), step-children Kate (Henry), Rebecca (John), Paul (Amy) and Ethan (Paula); his grandchildren Chris, Samantha, Adam, Kimberley, Melea, Erin, Maxwell, and Jared (Cho), as well as great-grandchildren.
A private interment will take place at Royal Oak Burial Park and a Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the BC Wildlife Federation. https://bcwf.bc.ca/donate/
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