2. It was 1949 when Mildred
Stringer and Al Gilliam
went to Waco to convince
Eddie Fowler to come to
Tyler Junior College
to assist with
the Apache
Band & Belles.
3. And in just a few short
years—he had made them
world famous!
22. He loved playing Ping Pong…
and former basket ball player
Tommy Sawyer (’54) could never
beat him!
23. … and “little” Eddie was
Always a part of the TJC
family.
24. always an Apache
With Maxene Robinson, Sports Circle of Honor Dinner
Kevin Fowler and Fred
Head
Fowler helped celebrate
Dallas Chapter Reception the 75 th
2004
Anniversary!
33. DR. EDWIN E. FOWLER --- IN
GRATEFUL APPRECIATION
FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF
DEVOTED SERVICE --- WE
DO HEREBY DEDICATE OUR
ALUMNI HOMECOMING 2009
IN HIS HONOR AND
MEMORY.
34.
35. OCTOBER 4, 1922 – FEBRUARY 28, 2009
TJC says Goodbye to
their Music Man…
Dr. Edwin E. Fowler
36. DR. EDWIN E. FOWLER
OCTOBER 4, 1922 - FEBRUARY 28, 2009
WHETHER YOU KNEW HIM AS DR. FOWLER, ‘PINKY’, ‘BOSS’, ‘DOC’, OR ‘EDDIE’ FOWLER, YOU
KNEW YOU HAD A FRIEND, A BAND DIRECTOR, A TEACHER, A MENTOR ... A MAN WHO LOVED LIFE,
HIS FAMILY, HIS MUSIC, TYLER JUNIOR COLLEGE AND ITS STUDENTS.
DR. FOWLER’S MOTTO WAS “BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED” AND HE DID JUST THAT. IN 1949,
HE CAME FROM WACO TO LEAD THE TJC APACHE BAND AND IN JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS, HE
MADE THEM WORLD-FAMOUS! WITH HIS CONNECTIONS, THE BAND AND BELLES PERFORMED AT
DALLAS COWBOY GAMES, AND AT THE SUGAR, COTTON AND GATOR BOWLS. THEY ALSO
PERFORMED IN NEW YORK CITY, CALIFORNIA, NEW ORLEANS, AND MEXICO CITY. HE ORGANIZED A
BAND FOR THE LOCAL SHARON SHRINE TEMPLE AND ESTABLISHED TYLER’S BIG BAND.
IN 2001, THE TJC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HONORED HIM WITH THE APACHE SPIRIT AWARD FOR HIS
36 YEARS OF SERVICE TO TYLER JUNIOR COLLEGE. DURING THOSE YEARS HE SERVED AS BAND
DIRECTOR, DEAN OF MEN AND STUDENT AFFAIRS, HEAD OF ADMISSIONS, REGISTRAR, AND
RETIRED AS VICE-PRESIDENT IN 1985.
OVER THE YEARS HE INFLUENCED THOUSANDS OF LIVES AND PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THE
COLLEGE’S RICH HISTORY. FOR MANY, WHEN THEY REMEMBER THEIR COLLEGE DAYS, ONE OF
THEIR FONDEST MEMORIES IS OF TJC’S MUSIC MAN, DR. EDWIN FOWLER.
THE ALUMNI, ADMINISTRATORS, FACULTY, STAFF, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND
FRIENDS OF DR. EDWIN E. FOWLER --- IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF
DEVOTED SERVICE --- DO HEREBY DEDICATE AND NAME THE APACHE BAND HALL IN HIS HONOR
AND MEMORY. OCTOBER 2009