Rodney George Fowler, 73 years old of 341 Lincoln Ave, Edgewater Park, NJ passed away peacefully Thursday, April 29th, 2004 under the merciful care of the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Northeast Philadelphia after an extended illness.

Rodney was born in Hartford, Connecticut on June 27,1930 and spent his youth in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He then served the United States Air Force from 1950 to 1954 attaining the rank of Staff Sargent. His assignments included the 6543rd Missile Test Squadron, 6541st Missile Test Wing located at Grand Bahama Aux AFB, Grand Bahama Islands, the 6541st Missile Test Wing at Patrick AFB, Florida and then the 6550th Communications Squadron also at Patrick AFB, Florida where he assumed the duty of Airborne Electronics and Navigation Equipment Maintenance Technician flying on board B-29 aircraft which conducted surveillance missions on behalf of the United States Government during the Korean conflict.

After leaving the Air Force, Mr. Fowler married Carol Manchester of Bourne, Massachusetts in 1956. Together they had four sons, Lawrence White, David Alan, Thomas John and Robert George. Carol, his wife in 45 years of marriage, passed away in October of 1999. His son, Thomas John at 19 years old, passed in 1981. Mr. Fowler was a graduate of the Lowell Technical Institute, Lowell, Massachusetts. Rod made his living as an electronics field service technician working for Raytheon, Nuclear Chicago, G.D. Searle, Tracor and finally TM Analytic from which he received an award upon retirement in recognition of his 25 plus years of service with their company.

Mr. Fowler was very active in the Amateur Radio hobby throughout his adult life. He held the amateur radio communication station licenses W1SSU, WB2WXK and K2ADJ. He was a member of the Radio Amateur Communications Emergency Service (RACES) as well as the Amateur Radio Relay League (A.R.R.L.).

Mr. Fowler was also a proud member of the United States Air Force Military Affiliated Radio System (USAF MARS) program to which he donated much of his time and radio station equipment to facilitate the transfer of morale messages from our servicemen and women stationed overseas back to their family members here in the United States. At one point during Operation Desert Storm, Mr. Fowler's USAF MARS radio station, AFA1NC, was handling over 3000 of these morale messages per week. His station would receive these data (packet) radio messages from Germany (via Saudi Arabia) and then distribute them to other like stations throughout the United States.

During his long involved tenure with USAF MARS, Mr. Fowler held the titles: Transcon Net Manager (Radio Teletype message format) and National Packet Coordinator (computer data packet message format), as well as the New Jersey State Assistant USAF MARS director. He was also influential in getting the packet mode (computer data transferred via radio wave) accepted and implemented as a viable mode of communication by the USAF MARS organization. Mr. Fowler received many recognition awards from USAF MARS for his dedicated work and volunteered service. Rod Fowler believed very strongly in service to country. He demonstrated that ethic by volunteering his service to the many organizations that serve the public using various modes of radio communication during times of emergency and war.

Rodney G. Fowler is survived by his son Lawrence and wife Kathleen Fowler of Glens Falls, N.Y. His son David Fowler and fianc ancy DiCamillo of Blackwood, N.J. His son Robert Fowler of Edgewater Park, NJ. His granddaughters Angela and husband Mathew Still of Mount Laurel, N.J. Andrea Fowler and her fianc tephan Webster of Mt. Laurel, N.J. Jennifer and her husband Kurt Stolzenberger of Mt. Laurel, N.J. His great grandchildren Jovanni Still, Saleen Webster and Tyler Stolzenberger all of Mt. Laurel, N.J. His sister Audery and husband Robert Santheson of Plymouth, Massachusetts. His sister-in-law, Janet Brooks, niece Joyce Cannon and nephew Edward Cannon all of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. His loyal canine Corky. His many friends throughout the Amateur Radio hobby and perhaps most importantly to him, his "extended family" at the Golden Dawn Diner who always made him feel appreciated, loved and at home. May God bless you all and keep you well.

---

[ Main Page Site Map ]