Bennie (Ben) Lee Fowler

Bennie (Ben) Lee Fowler, 80, of Bentonville, Ark., passed away, Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at Mercy Hospital in Rogers, Ark. He was born Dec. 15, 1936 in his maternal grandmother's house in Foraker, Okla., to Daniel B. Fowler and Flora May Hood Fowler. He graduated from Foraker High School in Foraker, Okla., and attended Oklahoma State Tech. A real-life singing cowboy with a wonderful sense of humor, Ben perfected the art of great storytelling and was often sought out for advice. As a young man he moved to South Dakota to work on a ranch with his brother, Chuck. While there he met and married the love of his life, Janet Carol Chapman. Ben traded the rigors of cowboy life to become a draftsman and airborne power-line inspector for Montana-Dakota Utilities. Ben & Janet then teamed up with their children and Janet's mother, Janie Chapman, to own and operate movie theaters in Mobridge and Gettysburg, South Dakota for two decades. The family moved to Northwest Arkansas in 1979 where Ben joined Cooper Communities to become the manager of construction and engineering for land development until his retirement. Ben helped found Bentonville's St. Stephen Catholic Church and served as the volunteer bookkeeper for 10 years. He was preceded in death by his parents and three siblings: John Fowler, Chuck Fowler, and Sue Fowler Rorabaugh. Ben is survived by his wife of 56 years, Janet; five children, Gwen White & husband, Scott of Bella Vista, Ark., Leigh Orler & husband, Greg of Lewisville, Texas, Daniel Fowler & wife, Katrina of Joplin, Mo., Mary Palmer & husband, Lance of Bentonville, Ark., and Douglas Fowler & wife, Meri Mengo of Biloxi, Miss.; ten grandchildren, Sean White, Grace & Jane Orler, Todd, James, Grant, & Blake Fowler, Kayla & Tatum Palmer, and Andrew Fowler; two sisters, Ann Milliron & husband, Don, Carolyn Young & husband, Don; sister-in-law Georgie Fowler; two brothers-in-law, Jim Chapman and Doug Chapman & wife, Gloria; two aunts, Bobbie Groves and Peggy Layton; and innumerable nieces and nephews. Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m., Thursday, March 16, 2017 at Stockdale-Moody Funeral Services in Rogers. He will be laid to rest in the Columbarium at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Bentonville, Ark. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Stephen Catholic Church Benevolent Fund, 1300 NE J St., Bentonville, Ark. 72712. (www.ststephenbentonville.com) or to a charity of choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to Stockdale-Moody Funeral Services of Rogers. Words of comfort or memories may be shared at stockdalefuneral.com.