Obituary of Francis Dale Davenport Fowler

Francis Dale Davenport Fowler went home to be with the Lord Friday, January 29, 2016 at Saint Joseph’s hospital at the age of 73. Dale was born in Charlotte, North Carolina March 23, 1942 to James Clay Davenport and Lena Alexander Davenport of Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Dale grew up enjoying sock hops, cheering on the swim team and always fondly recalled her friends at Myers Park High School. Dale went on to attend Agnes Scot College in Decatur, Georgia where she majored in English. Graduating in 1964 she remembered well all of the students gathering in the college president’s house to listen to the news of JFK’s assassination. After spending a year in Boston, she returned to Atlanta, working as a secretary at a law firm. She married Phillip E. Fowler and attained her Master’s in Education from Georgia State University and taught elementary school for the City of Atlanta in Grant Park. The couple moved to Anderson, South Carolina where both of Dale’s children, Clay and Lauren were born. The family moved to Albany, Georgia before moving again to Sandy Springs in 1977. Dale was very active at Northwest Presbyterian Church, in her circle and serving as an Elder. The family enjoyed special occasions and the pool at Cherokee Town and Country Club as well as summers on Lake Glenville in North Carolina. Most of Dale’s time was spent as a stay at home mom, loving and raising her two children. She was always volunteering at school, reading to her children’s classes, gardening in her vegetable garden and preparing her parents’ recipes for her family. She grew hot peppers that she turned into pepper jelly for gifts for the teachers, friends and the mailman. She was a proud and devoted mother and wife who worked hard to make a good home. Even when she became afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis in her mid-thirties, she turned her illness into a positive. She immersed herself into finding natural remedies and became involved in selling many different products from Lady Love aloe products to Reliv nutritional products and countless others. Dale’s gift for charming and making friends expanded her reach into many lives during these years. She later moved to an apartment in Vinings before spending several years at Belmont Village. She has been an active resident of Lenbrook Square for nearly three years attending activities, church services and enjoying Sunday morning omelets in the bistro. Most of all in her later life she enjoyed her three granddaughters. She was able to attend one of Nadia’s softball games and watch one of Natalie’s tennis practices. She enjoyed an unlimited supply of original artwork from Morgan. Dale was eager to know all parts of her granddaughters’ lives. During the last month, she suffered a series of health problems and received so much love and well wishing. She was able to hear from old friends. She was able to spend extra time with her family including trips to her children’s homes for Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Mom was the most forgiving person in the world and loved and was loved by so many people. Her illness only made her more positive over the last half of her life. Her positive spirit was an inspiration. Now she is in a glorified body, free again. Dale is preceded in death by her parents, James Clay and Lena Davenport. Dale is survived by her children and their spouses Clay Fowler (Paula) of Loganville, Georgia, Lauren Fowler Rhyne (Mike) of Marietta, Georgia, and grandchildren, Natalie and Nadia Fowler of Loganville and Morgan Rhyne of Marietta. Dale is also survived by her sister Marsha Davenport Griffin (Rob). Graveside services will be held 11 am, Saturday; February 6 at the Spring Hill Cemetery in Harrodsburg, Kentucky.