Wayne L. Fowler M.D.

Wayne L. Fowler, M.D., 86, died at the Sweet Life at Rosehill, Shawnee, Kansas, November 13, 2009, from complications of cancer.

He was born, January 5, 1923, in Topeka, Kansas, the son of Morrill and Grace Fowler, and grew up in the Highland Park Area of Topeka.

He graduated high school from Highland Park High School in Topeka in 1941. He then attended Washburn University, Topeka, where he received his B.S. Degree, with honors, in Chemistry in 1944. During this time he joined the Navy and continued in the Navy while attending medical school, at the University of Indiana School of Medicine, in Bloomington and Indianapolis, Indiana, graduating in 1947. He met June Ransom during this time, and they were married on September 4, 1948. They then moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he completed his medical internship (1947-1948), and residency in Internal Medicine (1948-1951) at General Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. During this time he also was a member of the Army National Guard. After finishing his residency in 1951, he enlisted in the Air Force, during the Korean War; and was a Flight Surgeon, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas Nevada. He served from 1951 until 1953, being discharged at the rank of Captain.

In 1953 he and June moved to Concordia, Kansas, where he practiced internal medicine for the remainder of his medical career. He was an internist in the Gelvin-Haughey Clinic as well as the North Central Medical Clinic, from 1953 through 1995, retiring in 1995.

He was extremely active in his medical practice. He was past-president of the Medical Staff of St. Joseph Hospital, Concordia, Kansas. He was a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and received the highest annual honor, Distinguished Laureate, in 1994, by the Kansas Chapter of the College. He was a member of the Kansas Medical Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Medical Association, the Cloud County (Kansas) Medical Society, and the American Society of Internal Medicine. He was a preceptor for medical students from the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

He was a member of the Concordia Elks Club, Concordia Moose Club, Topeka Masonic Lodge #17. He had just received his certificate for being a member of the Masons for 65 years. He was also a member of ISIS Shrine, Salina, Kansas.

He was active as an amateur radio operator, and participated in many radio events and emergency communications. He learned to fly in the Air Force, and subsequently held a private pilot’s license for 20 years, while owning and flying several airplanes during that time.

He was a member of the Church of the Epiphany Episcopal Church, Concordia, Kansas, and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Shawnee, Kansas.

He was married to June Ransom Fowler for 48 years; she preceded him in death in 1996. His parents, Morrill and Grace Carlson preceded him in death, and also a grandson, Christopher Colyer, in 2001.

He is survived by two twin sisters: Shirley Bauer, and her husband, John, Concordia, Kansas and Virginia Davis, and her husband, Russell,, Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is also survived by his son, Dr. Wayne L. Fowler, Jr., and his wife, Deborah Fowler, Shawnee, Kansas; daughter, Deborah Colyer and husband, Dr. E. S. Colyer, Lander, Wyoming; five grandchildren: Dr. Amy Fowler and her husband, Andrew Norton-Mitchell, Lawrence, Kansas, Jeremy Fowler, and his wife, Heather Dixon-Fowler, Boone, North Carolina, Jeffrey Fowler, Overland Park, Kansas, David Colyer, Lander, Wyoming, and Ashley Colyer, Lander Wyoming; three great-grandchildren: Riley June Fowler and Jackson Clay Fowler, Boone, North Carolina and Enzo Norton-Mitchell, Lawrence, Kansas and by numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions can be made to: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 5325 Nieman Road, Shawnee, Kansas 66203, or the American Cancer Society, 250 Williams Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia.

Visitation and Funeral Service

A visitation will be held Friday, November 20, 2009 at 1:00 pm at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 5325 Nieman Road, Shawnee, Kansas 66203 followed by the funeral service at 2:00 pm. A visitation will also be held Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 1:00 pm at the Episcopal Church of Epiphany,117 W. 8th Street, Concordia, Kansas, followed by the service at 2:00 pm and burial in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.