Chaplain Gene "Chip" S. Fowler Jr.

Retired Army Chaplain Fowler, 71, died at the Hospice Unit, Community Living Center, James H. Quillen Medical Center, on Wednesday, July 6th, 2022. Chaplain Fowler was born in Atlanta, GA, April 10, 1951, a son of the late Gene Shirrell Fowler, Sr. and Jacquelyn Hall Fowler. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, George Fowler.

Chaplain Fowler was raised in Orlando, FL., graduated from Boone High School in 1969, and attended Atlanta Christian College for one year before transferring to Milligan College in Milligan, TN, where he graduated with a BA in Christian Ministries in 1973. He attended Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City, TN, graduating with a Master of Divinity in 1978. He graduated from the Army War College with a Master of Strategic Studies in 2000. He was endorsed as a chaplain by the Christian Church/Churches of Christ in 1978.

Chip married Lou Fogleman in May 1973. They had a beautiful baby girl, Charity, in 1976. Chip’s first assignment in the Army was the Battalion Chaplain, 3-4 Training Battalion, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO in September 1978. This was the beginning of a wonderful world of adventures serving in the United States Army. Chip was blessed to serve as the Battalion Chaplain, 1-9 Infantry Battalion, Camp Grieves, Republic of Korea; Battalion Chaplain, Quartermaster Center and School, and Family Life Chaplain, Ft. Lee, VA; Resource Manager, 21st Support Command, Kaiserslautern, Germany; Brigade Chaplain, 194th Separate Armored Brigade, Ft. Knox, KY; Operations and Training Chaplain, Ft. Stewart, GA; Chaplain Personnel Director, 8th US Army, Yongsan, Korea; Command Chaplain, 1st Corps Support Command, Ft. Bragg, NC; SFOR Command Chaplain, Sarajevo, Bosnia; Installation Chaplain, Ft. Still, OK; Command Chaplain, III US Armored Corps, Ft. Hood, TX with a 13 month deployment as Command Chaplain, CJTF-7 and Multinational Corps-Iraq; and Command Chaplain for the US Army, Pacific, Ft. Shafter, HI. Chip retired in 2008 and he and Lou moved to Lacey, Washington, living there for 6 years. They relocated to Johnson City, TN, in 2014; their last move together. They joined First Christian Church, Johnson City and attended the Win-A-Kuple Sunday School Class.

As a chaplain in the Army, Chip preached the gospel, prayed for and loved the Soldiers he was privileged to serve, mentored those under his leadership, honored and served those in authority over him, played ball on unit teams, played racquetball with those he loved, danced at the military balls with Lou, sometimes closing the ballroom down at the end of the evening and ran on unit runs with a spirit of encouragement and care as he would run at the back of the formation with Soldiers who were struggling to keep up. Many were amazed at his endurance as he would run in the back for a while, sprint to the front and then run with the command for a while. He would go back and forth just for the purpose of encouraging others. He was only allowed to lead the run one time as his cross country skills far exceeded those who tried to keep up!

In addition, Chip never lost touch with the role of husband and father that God also summoned him too. Chip was a treasured husband who was good to Lou, honored her, delighted in her, and always treated her as his equal. Chip went “all out in love” for his wife and loved Lou as “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Colossians 3:19) He loved and cherished Charity. He played with her, volunteered at her schools and every activity she was a part of, never missing a marching band performance. The two had great adventures from riding roller coasters to hiking to surf lessons to traveling the world together.

Many believe that God creates us for specific purposes/jobs. Lou and others believe that Chip was created and molded to be an Army Chaplain. He loved sharing the Good News of the Gospel, the people he came to know, living in multiple places, and the opportunity to travel to see all the beauty of God’s creation. His slogan became “Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing” and he lived that. Chip lived the passage in Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus’ Great Commission, as he went and “made disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.” There is no doubt that Jesus was with him always, to the very end of his life and to the end of the age.

Chip is survived by the former Lou Fogleman, of Glade Spring, VA. They have one grown daughter, Charity Fowler, of Charlottesville, VA. He is also survived by one sister, Terri Graubner, of Orlando, FL, three sister-in-laws, June Keesee, Linda Mitchell and husband Mike, and Janie Fowler; two brother-in-laws, Gene Fogleman, and Lee Graubner; and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends Saturday, July 30, 2022 from 12:30 PM until 1:30 PM at First Christian Church of Johnson City, TN. Celebration of Life will follow with Chaplain Col. Retired Dave Bates, Ethan Magness, and Donald Mushayamunda officiating. Committal Service and Inurnment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff of Visiting Angels, Avalon Hospice, James H. Quillen VAMC, and the hospice unit at CLC for all their love and care that was shown.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Milligan University, 101 Neth Drive, Milligan College, TN 37682.

Arrangements especially for Retired Army Chaplain (COL) Gene S. “Chip” Fowler, Jr. and his family have been made through Monte Vista Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 1900 E. Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, TN; 423-282-2631.