Arlys Fowler

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Arlys Fowler, 86, Bismarck, passed away Feb 21, 2023, at Park Terrace Assisted Living in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.  

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, March 18, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 502 N 4^th Street, Bismarck, with Pastor Mark Narum officiating. A link to the service livestream will available on the funeral home website.

Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM, Friday, March 17, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck. A prayer service will begin at 6:30 PM.

Burial will be held immediately after the funeral at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.

Arlys was born in Napoleon, ND to Franz and Anna (Gunsch) Frank on Sept 23, 1936.  She grew up in McIntosh County on a farm 10 miles Northwest of Wishek, ND and attended the one room country school very near their farm through the 8^th grade.

She was baptized at the Salem Lutheran Church, her neighborhood country church and confirmed at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Wishek. She attended Wishek High School and was active in St. Luke’s Lutheran Church and High School Choirs, Girls Glee Club, Luther League, FHA, High School drama plays, and she conducted ticket sales for high school sports events. She lived with and cared for her Grandma Frank in Wishek while going to school. After graduation she moved to Bismarck for work and attended Bismarck Junior College located on the 3^rd floor of Bismarck High School, taking an Office Procedures Course.  After completion she worked for Bowman Furniture as a Receptionist and Accountant.

In 1955 she met the love of her life, Clemens Fowler, and they were married at St. Luke’s Lutheran church in Wishek on December 26, 1955. They lived in Bismarck where she continued to work until they moved to Redding, CA.  In 1958 they moved back to Bismarck and became members of Trinity Lutheran Church where Arlys became a Sunday School teacher, participated in Mother’s Club and volunteered for social events.  Clem & Arlys also were Youth group advisors for 3 years. 

She was a ‘stay at home Mom’ for her four children for several years, then started working for the State of ND for 31 years. For the last 27 years she worked for the Tax Department retiring as a Data Processing Coordinator in 1997. In spite of always being on a tight budget they managed to take several family vacations to introduce their children to experiences not available in their home surroundings, including Washington DC, the Smithsonian Institute, Disney World, New York City, and the beach in Destin, Florida.  She and Clem spent summer weekends at Crooked Lake where they had a cabin for 27 years enjoying fishing, water skiing, hunting, and entertaining extended family.  Arlys was an avid gardener and one of her great joys was to plant flowers throughout her yard every spring.

Arlys always had an open and welcoming home for any and all of her friends and family. She frequently hosted family gatherings, parties, welcomed her children’s friends, and was a soft landing for anyone in need of a place to stay. She and Clem loved to travel to the warmer places of California and Hawaii in their later years to see their children and grandchildren, especially in the winter. She also loved when her children would come home to visit during summers and for bird and deer hunting season.    She was an adventurer and got her first passport at age 70 so she and Clem could travel to Italy. Arlys will be remembered for her warmth and great smile.

Arlys felt her greatest accomplishment in life, together with her 61 year marriage to her husband, was raising four wonderful children who brought her so much joy and pride. 

Arlys is survived by her children, Jeff (Katie), Haymarket, VA, Cindy (Brad) Winther, Mission Viejo, CA, Kolin (Misty), Ladera Ranch, CA, Mike, Aliso Viejo, CA; grandchildren, Brittany (Ken), Lynsee (Gavin), Connor, Austin, Ashley, Corina (Jarred), Nicole, and Jacob; great-granddaughters, Elliana and McKenzie; sister-in-law, Mary Ann Frank; sisters, Shirley Weisenburger and Eunice Harter; and many nieces and nephews.

Arlys was preceded in death by her husband, Clem; brother, Elmer Frank; parents; and her brothers-in-law, Bob Harter and Lloyd Weisenburger.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church on behalf of the Loaves and Fishes Fund or Good Samaritan Fund.  Use this link for more information:  https://trinitybismarck.com/donate/