Rachel Kathrine Fowler

Rachel Fowler, 88, of Decatur, passed away on Thursday, December 13, 2012. She was born in Paris, Arkansas on April 30, 1924, but a resident of the Atlanta area since 1948. Her vocation was always in legal or politics. She worked as a secretary for William Schroder in the firm Troutman, Sams, Schroder and Lockerman. Leaving there, she was secretary to the Georgia House of Representatives Speaker George L. Smith II and after his death became secretary for Speaker Pro Tem Al Burruss. After leaving the House Of Representatives, she became Administrative Assistant to Justice Hardy Gregory Jr. at the Georgia Supreme Court. When Justice Gregory retired, she retired. After retiring she began to lobby for the environment and particularly for The Garden Club of Georgia as co-chairman of Roadside Beautification Committee. As a member of the Water Coalition of Georgia she worked for clean water and the preservation of our coastal waters. She was a life member of the DeKalb County PTA. A charter member of the Hummingbird Garden Club, Director of the DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs, a life member of The Garden Club of Georgia and a life member of The DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs where in 2003 she received the first DeKalb Federation Member of the Year Award. She received the president's Citation from two Garden Club of Georgia Presidents for outstanding service as its Legislation Chairman. Because of her dedication to our environment in 2003 she received the Georgia Conservation Voters Environmental Leadership Award. In 2005, she received the first annual Draper Lifetime Achievement Award. She was an avid Atlanta Braves fan and never got over losing Dale Murphy. Rachel is preceded in death by her husband, Jim and is survived by two daughters; Susan Sawyer of Conyers and Sherree and Jim Hill of Lilburn; two grandsons; Kenneth Fuller of Decatur and Keith and Joanna Fuller of Locust Grove; great grandson, Mason Fuller of Locust Grove; nieces, Carla and Dennis Doty of Springdale, Arkansas and Lisa Barnett of Fayetteville, Arkansas; nephew, Gene and Joyce Barnett of Fort Smith, Arkansas. She was a member of Avondale Pattillo United Methodist Church. A funeral service will be held in the chapel of A.S. Turner and Sons at 1:00 PM on Wednesday December 19th, with Rev. Tara Paul officiating. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs, General Fund, 908-B Briarcliff Road Atlanta, GA 30306 or to your favorite charity. The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 11:00 AM until the time of the service at A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory.


Funeral Home:
A.S. Turner
2773 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033