Fowler 65th

FOWLER 65th

Harris and Colleen (Wood) Fowler's children organized a celebration for the couple's 65th wedding celebration at the Wenatchee (Wash.) Adventist Family Life Center on Aug. 29, 2015. It was wonderful to see all their friends from many years celebrating with them.

Colleen was in eighth grade when the Alvin Fowler family moved to Wenatchee. The Fowlers had a daughter named Yvette, who was the same age as Colleen. Colleen and Yvette became good friends and went to Upper Columbia Academy (UCA) in Spangle, Wash., together.

Colleen later fell in love with Yvette's older brother, Harris. They started dating, and Harris asked for her hand in marriage. Colleen graduated from UCA in 1950, and she and Harris were married in an old church on the corner of Spokane Street and Okanogan Street on July 9, 1950.

They moved to Montana, then the Korean War started. Harris was called to serve for his country, then, with faith and God’s care and protection, he was given the opportunity to go to college at Walla Walla College. Harris graduated in 1955 with a degree in education and three busy children.

His first teaching position was in Leavenworth, Wash., where the Fowlers' fourth child was born. After a few years there, Upper Columbia Conference asked Harris to come work there. The family first moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, then to Hermiston, Ore., and Spokane. Wash., where he stopped teaching for a few years.

Then they decided to move to Wenatchee to be close to Colleen’s folks, who were getting older. Harris started teaching again in 1972 at Cascade Christian Academy. He started working on trail work then drove semitrucks.

The Fowler family includes four children, nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, plus one on the way. Harris and Colleen are living at Colleen’s parents’ old place on Stemilt Hill in Wenatchee. Their grandson, Alex, is buying the farm and keeping it in the family for the fourth generation.