Dr. Harold Duke Fowler, Jr. (November 30, 1930 – July 28, 2022) was born in Statesville, NC to Harold Duke Fowler, Sr. and Nova Beaver Fowler. He was a proud graduate of Davidson College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry. Dr. Fowler worked in his own dental practice for many years in Statesville and Mt. Airy. He also served as a public health dentist for the State of North Carolina for 27 years. In that capacity he provided free dental work to those children in need of special care throughout Surry, Stokes, Yadkin, and Davie counties.
Dr. Fowler, known to his friends as Duke, belonged to the First Baptist Church of Pilot Mountain where he served as deacon, sang in the choir, taught Sunday school, and was often head chef for the men’s breakfast.
After retirement, he traveled regularly with his wife, Sue, and their friends to places such as Pennsylvania Amish Country, San Antonio, New Orleans, Hawaii, Alaska, and British Columbia. He also discovered his favorite place in the world, Costa Rica, where he ziplined through the rain forest at the age of 81!
Duke will be remembered for his charismatic personality and ability to fascinate with his charms; his penchant for puns and funny jokes, and being well versed in all kinds of trivia (a self-described “encyclopedia of useless information”); a story or anecdote for every occasion; the wooden cars and birdhouses he crafted by hand; the highly anticipated annual calendar he created and printed for his children with everyone’s birthday, age, and anniversaries; and his love of all creatures, especially cats.
Duke is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, M. Sue Byrd Fowler; 5 children, Donna Fowler, Shawn Martin (Hal), Tres Fowler (Terry), Shannon Johnson (Terry), and Sharee Fowler, (John); 2 stepsons, Michael Lyon (Annette) and John Gregory Lyon; 13 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; and his cherished friend and caregiver, Cindi Barber.
Visitation will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, August 2 at the First Baptist Church of Pilot Mountain followed by a funeral service at 11:00 am. To honor Duke’s big heart for animals and all of the stray kitties he cared for over the years, the family requests that donations be made to the Forsyth Humane Society. Memorial donations may also be made to the First Baptist Church of Pilot Mountain.
Cox-Needham Funeral Home is respectfully serving the Fowler family.
Please sign the guestbook at www.coxneedham.com, www.facebook.com/coxneedham.