Francis "Frank" Henry Fowler

Francis Henry "Frank" Fowler, 96, of  Houghton Lake passed away on Sunday March 30, 2025 at My Michigan Hospital in Midland.

Frank was born on May 12, 1928 in St Louis, Michigan to O.S. and Dora (Parrish) Fowler. He grew up in the St. Louis area as the middle child in a family with five children.  The family homesteaded a section of land and farmed.  Frank graduated from St. Louis High School and then attended one year of college at Michigan State University.  He excelled in football while in high school and went on to play armature football in Lansing, of course this was in the days of leather football helmets. The older boys stayed on the farm to work while some of the family went into Lansing to work at the automobile industry for extra income for the family.  While working at an ice cream factory in Lansing, Frank met a young lady named Ruth M. Taylor. On September 19, 1947 Frank and Ruth were married in East Lansing.  Frank then went to work at Oldsmobile where he climbed the ladder to become a Plant Layout Engineer retiring in 1987.The couple raised 3 daughters, two of which were twins, in their Grand Ledge home and  built a cottage at Higgins Lake on the mainland and later built another cottage on Treasure Island in Higgins Lake. The couple had moved from Grand Ledge to Higgins Lake and then in 2000 to Houghton Lake. Frank enjoyed water skiing, made his own slolum ski's, built two speed boats from prefab plywood shells.  He loved doing wood work projects from making furniture to chain saw carving of bears and other critters. His other hobbies included piloting his private plane, to restoring jeeps and a Model A and taking a trip to the golf coarse, playing in a league at The Quest Golf Course until the age of 93. Frank was a member of the Higgins Lake Boat Club, Treasure Island Association, and the Elks of Houghton Lake and Lansing.

Surviving Mr.Fowler are his loving wife of 77 years, Ruth Margaret Fowler of Houghton Lake; two daughters, Carol Meyer of Houghton Lake, and Christine Fowler of Mount Pleasant; two granddaughters, Amelia Pavelka, and Sarah Pavelka; two great grandsons, JD Helmstetter, and Dylan Pavelka; son in law, James Pavelka of Traverse City; several nieces and nephews.  Frank was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Susan Pavelka; and 4 brothers. 

Funeral Services for Francis Henry Frank" Fowler will be conducted at 1:00 pm on Monday April 7, 2025 from Christler Funeral Home-Houghton Lake Chapel with Rev. Kevin Harbin officiating. Interment will be in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Coe Township, Isabella County. Visitation will be held on Monday April 7, 2025 from 12:00 pm until the time of the service at 1:00 pm at Christler Funeral Home-Houghton Lake Chapel.  Memorial contributions in memory of Frank are asked to be directed to the Higgins Lake Foundation or Roscommon County Meals on Wheels Program. Christler Funeral Home, Houghton Lake Chapel is serving the family. Condolences can be sent to the family online at www.christler-holdship.com 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Francis "Frank" Henry Fowler, please visit our floral store.