Obituary of Donna Marie Fowler

DURHAM — Donna Fowler, 75, of Durham passed away January 4, 2014 after a brief illness. Beloved mother of five daughters: Teresa, Janice, Beverly, Pamela and Cynthia. Grandmother of Whitney, Sam, Robert and Jared. Born in Durham in 1938, she and her family lived in Chapel Hill where she graduated from Chapel Hill High School and went to UNC-Chapel Hill. She married medical student Kenneth Weaver and left college to raise the children. After their divorce, Donna was a single parent who worked alongside her brother Bobby at Fowlers Food Store, which became Fowlers Gourmet in Brightleaf Square in Durham. Later she went back to school, and received her BA at UNC-Chapel Hill and graduated from NCCU with a Master's Degree in Social Work. She traveled extensively and loved jewelry making and painting in her retirement years. She was an outgoing and charming woman who met everyone with a smile and shared laughter with her family and many friends. A celebration of her life will be held at Croaisdaile Chapel at 2600 Croasdaile Parkway in Durham Thursday, January 9, at 3:30 pm with a reception following. Contributions in Donna's memory can be made to the battered women's shelter in your local community or the charity of your choice. She leaves a legacy of love and laughter and will be dearly missed.