Debbie Nichols Fowler
August 10, 1952 - March 9, 2025
Debbie Nichols Fowler died peacefully at home on March 9, 2025, at 2:01p.m. surrounded by her beloved family and friends and a lullaby in her ear.
Debbie Fowler was a remarkable woman, whose life was a love letter to her husband, children, extended family, and community. Debbie was born on August 10, 1952, in Monticello, AR to the late Luther and Reba Crump Nichols, and grew up alongside her siblings. Her sister/best friend, and cross-stitching partner, Sheila Rogers preceded her in death. Debbie is survived by her younger sister, Tina Puddephatt (Ted) of Monticello, who Debbie mothered and worried over as her own, and her older brother, Don Nichols (Shirley) of Bella Vista.
Debbie graduated from Monticello High School in 1970 and then earned her English degree at UAM. She shared her love of knowledge and reading with countless students, teaching English and Social Studies to high school students in Dermott and then McGehee for over 30 years. Shortly after her retirement from the classroom, she returned to work at the library, first as the branch manager in McGehee and later in collection development at the Southeast Arkansas Regional Library in Monticello. Debbie loved to read and regularly had three to four books in progress at a time. As a child, she also wrote stories which she shared with her best friends Tiny and Suzanne, and she in turn shared stories of their adventures with her children as they grew up. Her love of books and stories live on in her children and grandchildren.
She leaves behind to cherish her memory the love of her life and her husband of 49 years, David ''Moe'' Fowler. Immediately after meeting Debbie in August 1975, David introduced her to his mother as the woman he would marry. Debbie laughed at him then, but just a few months later, on December 21, 1975, they were married in the First United Methodist Church in Monticello. Turns out, David was right, and their marriage has served as beautiful example of love and commitment to their three deeply loved children, who witnessed their parents argue only one time--about the size of a trashcan for the kitchen. Debbie would later say that he was right about one, too.
In every way that matters, Debbie loved her life. She died with few regrets. In her opinion, which she would tell you was the only right opinion, she had the perfect man and lived in the best place. She got to spend her retirement gleefully watching, playing with, and correcting her grandchildren, whom she loved and worried about fiercely. Being DeDe to Abigail and Thomas was the biggest joy of her life. She was able to meet her new bonus grandchildren once before she left us, but we believe she would have grown to love them in her own intense special way that she loves all her children and grandchildren. When the grandkids weren't visiting, she loved quiet, peace, and comfort, and her house had only the coziest furniture. Her children were educated, her husband was kind, and her house was clean just as she liked it. She had the exact life she wanted. She even died as she dictated, in comfort and quickly, surrounded by those she loved.
In addition to her dear David and siblings, Debbie is mourned by daughter Marcie Fowler and wife Tara Streetman and their children Christian and Henry of Boston, MA, her daughter Jamie Wiley, her husband Steven and their children Abigail and Thomas, of East Peoria IL, and her son Nick Fowler and his wife Lisa Brzezinski of Red Oak, TX. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Barbara ''Sissy'' Hicks, and husband Dale, of Dermott, AR, her brothers-in-law James Fowler and Paul Fowler, both of Dermott, AR, several nieces and nephews, and a host of lifelong friends. If your soul guides you, donations in memory of Debbie may be made to the Southeast Arkansas Regional Library, 114 W. Jefferson Ave., Monticello, AR 71655, or to the charity of your choice.
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 15, 2025, at First United Methodist Church in Monticello. There will be a visitation from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Saturday preceding the memorial service at the church. You can sign Debbie's guestbook registry here on this website.
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