T. Diann Fowler

T. Diann Fowler, 82, passed away on July 30, 2013 at Walla Walla General Hospital.

Diann was born on August 1, 1930 in Battle Creek, Michigan to Cloyd & Thelna Holmes Cemer. She attended Michigan area schools & graduated from Central High School in Battle Creek. On July 7, 1949, she married Herbert Fowler in Battle Creek, Michigan. They both went to work right away.

Diann got a job working for the Review and Herald. It was during the first two years of their marriage when Herbert came down with Polio. Diann was the sole bread winner for a few years. Herbert, of course, was a taxi driver when he got over the polio & could walk again. Then, she got pregnant with Kathy and kept working until she was born in 1952. She went back to work 6 weeks later and worked there until Yvonne was born 13 months later. She took 6 weeks off and then went back to work again.

Then, Herbert got the wander lust & headed for California. When he got a job at Lockeed Airport, he moved Diann & the girls out to be with him. They traveled by train to get there. Diann got a job right away as a bank teller. She was also pregnant with Herbie. She worked until she had Herbie & then after 6 weeks, went back to work. The children had a babysitter that they all called granny. She was an old woman that lived next door to them. Then, Herbert got a job as a bus driver for a while until he left for Seattle. Then after a while, he sent for them to come to Seattle. So, Diann & the children loaded up the old Plymouth & rented a U-Haul trailer. She loaded everything up by herself & took off for Seattle. She would drive until night time and then they would get a hotel room for the night.

When they arrived in Seattle, they stayed at Herbert’s friend’s house until they got a house on 165th. Once again, Diann got a job right away. She went to work for a place called Helwig and Butler. They were a huge medical billing facility. She worked nights so that she could be home during the day with the children. Herbert took care of them at night so that they could save money on daycare. She also took a job as a CNA and worked in a convalescent home in North City just to make ends meet. During this time, she got pregnant with Robert. James came along 18 months later. They had that arrangement until they moved to College Place.

Then Diann got a job at the Color Press & Herbert worked at the city of College Place. And again, she also worked as a CNA in a convalescent home to make ends meet. She worked days at the press & went to classes at night at the community college so she could get her nursing degree. When classes demanded her full time, she quit the press & went to school full time. After she graduated, she worked at St. Mary’s and then they moved to Oregon, she worked at the Salem Hospital where she retired.

She is survived by 2 daughters, Kathy Hull of Meadow Vista, CA & Yvonne Bishop of Seattle, WA; 3 sons, James Fowler of Walla Walla, WA, Robert Fowler of College Place, WA & Herbert Fowler, Jr. of Salem, OR; 11 grandchildren & 10 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband & 1 brother.

A graveside service will be held at a later date at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to 3 ABN through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA.