Edmund Fowler (E. C.) 89, of Beaumont, Texas, passed away from natural causes at his residence on Tuesday, January 29, 2008, with his daughters by his side. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, February 2, 2008, at 4:00 p.m. in the Claybar Kelley-Watkins Funeral Home Chapel with Chaplain Warren Wargo officiating.
E. C. was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and after the death of his father, left the family home. He headed to St. Louis, Missouri to accept a position as the Station Manager for Eastern Airlines at Lambert Field.
In 1943, he joined the Army Air Corps to serve his country during World War II. With the rank of Captain, he was the pilot of Douglas Havoc A-20 Bomber with the 672nd Squadron of the 417th Bomber Group, in the Southwest Pacific Theater.
After his discharge from the Air Corps, he re-joined Eastern Airlines. There he met his future wife, the love of his life, Virginia Ross. Tiring of the cold weather, E. C. accepted a position with a national finance company and relocated his family to Beaumont.
Several years later, a friend told him that Mr. Ben Greenberg was looking to hire a credit manager for his Fair Stores. That interview netted E. C. the job as Credit Manager for the Fair Stores and a life long friendship with Mr. Ben, whom he considered his mentor. E.C. retired from the Fair Store as their Senior Staff Vice President of Credit in 1980.
Upon his retirement, E.C. spent many years traveling with Ginnie and researching the Fowler and Ross genealogy. E.C. was preceded in death by his parents, Mary Lou and Edmund, Sr., brother, Jerry, sister, Elizabeth, his beloved wife, Ginnie and his son Michael. He is survived by his three children, Stephen Fowler and wife, Gayle of Peoria, AZ, Valarie Randall and husband, Charles of Beaumont and Barbara Riley and husband, Danny of Kountze; and his three grandchildren, Sean Fowler, Lee Fowler and Heather Votaw.
The family would like to give special thanks to Mr. Archie McCauley and wife, Phyllis, his friend and neighbor of 50 years and Mrs. Jan Laird.
Published in The Beaumont Enterprise on Feb. 1, 2008