Posted on 03/02/2005 6:17:44 PM PST by Former Military Chick
Tillie Kidd Fowler, who spent eight years representing Jacksonville in Congress, then walked away at the height of her career, died today at St. Vincent's Medical Center.
Mrs. Fowler, 62, who was the first woman to serve as Jacksonville's City Council president and served in Congress from 1992-2000, had suffered a massive brain hemorrhage Monday. She died surrounded by her family including her husband of 37 years, Buck Fowler, and her daughters, Tillie Anne Fowler and Elizabeth Fowler.
"Tillie is the role model of what an advocate should be," said Mike Hightower, chairman of the Duval County Republican Party. "We all, when we grow up, we want to be like Tillie."
Mrs. Fowler, who as City Council president once ordered three council members arrested in order to preserve the quorum she needed to pass the city's budget, wasn't afraid to ruffle feathers in pursuit of what she thought was right.
"I'd rather have people's respect than have them like me," she said in an interview in 2003.
She won wide respect in 2000 when she walked away from a flourishing political career -- she had risen to the position of fifth-ranked Republican in the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives.
But she had run for Congress in 1992 as an advocate of term limits. Although the courts ruled subsequently that members of Congress couldn't be term limited, Mrs. Fowler decided to honor the spirit rather than the letter of the law. Despite pressure from supporters, who believed she could remain in Congress indefinitely, she chose not to run for a fifth term.
Look for expanded coverage of Tillie Fowler's career in Thursday's Times-Union and here on Jacksonville.com.
(Excerpt) Read more at jacksonville.com ...
2001 - Becomes a partner in the law firm Holland & Knight, working out of its Washington office; appointed to the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee and the Chief of Naval Operation's Executive Panel
2003 - Named chair of the Defense Policy Board; named chair of the panel reviewing allegations of sexual abuse at the Air Force Academy
2004 - Appointed to a panel charged with providing the Secretary of Defense with advice on issues related to the allegations of prisoner mistreatment in Iraq.
Had not realized she joined the Nixon White House.
March 2, 2005
Statement from the Fowler family
See also:
Former congresswoman dies at St. Vincent's Karen Brune Mathis: Tillie quietly taught us by example Sign Tille Fowler's guestbook
"We would like to thank all of our friends and loved ones for their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time," the family said in a statement. "The tremendous outpouring of support gives us great solace. As a mother and wife, she was very special to us and it is comforting to know how special she was to so many other people across our nation."
Public services will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 4129 Oxford Ave. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Tillie K. Fowler NROTC Scholarship Fund at Jacksonville University.
TILLIE FOWLER is a former U.S. Representative from Jacksonville, Florida. She served four terms in Congress, from 1993 to 2001, and became the highest ranking woman in the House leadership. From her earliest years, her interest in volunteerism and public service was sparked by her parents.
Her father served for 42 years in the Georgia Legislature and her mother was an active community volunteer. Fowler earned both undergraduate and law degrees from Emory University. Following her graduation from law school, she moved to Washington, D.C. to accept a position as legislative assistant to Representative Robert G. Stephens, Jr. (D-GA). In 1970, Fowler left Capitol Hill for the Nixon White House, working for a year and a half as counsel in the Office of Consumer Affairs.
The year 1971 marked two big moves for Fowler: She and her husband moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and she changed her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. After moving to Jacksonville, Fowler took a time-out from her professional career to raise a family. She was active in the leadership of a number of organizations including the Junior League of Jacksonville, the Florida Humanities Council, the American Red Cross and Volunteer Jacksonville.
Fowler's involvement in the community eventually led her to run for the Jacksonville City Council. She was elected in 1985 and served for seven years. From 1989 to 1990, she was president of the Council, both the first woman and the first Republican ever to serve in this capacity.
Originally elected to Congress in 1992, Fowler was elected by her classmates as co-chair of the Freshman Republican Task Force on Reform. She served on the House Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittees on Military Installations and Facilities, and Military Readiness. She also served on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittees on Railroads, Ground Transportation and as chairwoman of Oversight, Investigations and Emergency Management.
In 2000, honoring a commitment she made to serve only four terms, Fowler did not run for reelection. She currently divides her time between Washington, D.C. and Jacksonville, Florida, and has joined the law firm of Holland & Knight.
Rest In Peace, Tillie Fowler, your work here is done.
She will be missed.
Thanks for adding this comment. I am rather shocked that this thread has received so little notice as compared to all the great things she did for her district, state and country.
At least that is the tone I got from reading about her life and good acts.
Your thoughts on the passing of the "Steel Magnolia", Tillie Fowler?
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