Obituary of Jared P. Fowler II
Jared P. Fowler II, 78, of Pennington, NJ, passed away suddenly on November 8, 2023, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
A lifelong resident of neighboring PA and NJ areas, Jerry, as he was known, was born in Trenton, NJ on September 2, 1945, the date of the official end of World War II when Japan surrendered. Brought up in Yardley, PA where he also raised his family, Jerry moved to Pennington, NJ after retirement with his beloved wife of 57 years, Janne (Jan) Parker Fowler. He is survived by his wife Jan, their daughters Julie Fowler, and her partner David Viklund, of New Canaan, CT, and Amy (Fowler) Granato, and son-in-law, Rick, of Princeton, NJ, and three loving grandchildren, Jamie, 21, Charlotte, 18, and Jack, 10, and many nieces and nephews. Jerry was predeceased by his parents John (Jack) and Annette (Ulrich) Fowler, sister Jacqueline (Fowler) Scarpiello, and brothers John Fowler and Alan Fowler.
Jerry was a boarding student and 1963 graduate of Malvern Prep School, in Malvern, PA and a 1967 graduate of Villanova University, in Villanova, PA, where he received his BA in Political Science and History. Having been raised in a 3rd-generation family construction business, Fowler-Thorne, Jerry was involved in many notable building projects that are still standing in Mercer County. Although he was poised to take over the family business, he chose a career in the automobile industry where he stayed for over 40 years, many of them overseeing the successful Bob Maguire Auto Group as General Sales Manager. In his youth, Jerry was an avid sports fan. Among his wide variety of interests were tennis and golf from his years growing up at the Trenton Country Club, and baseball, having played on the Trenton Little League All Stars Baseball team. During his youth, Jerry became the first Bucks County Soap Box Derby Champion, and then a finalist at the National Soapbox Derby held in Akron, Ohio where his love for moving vehicles was initiated. Before entering the auto business, Jerry briefly considered a career in aviation after pursuing his pilot's license.
After his professional work, interspersed with family travel and a lifelong passion for reading a novel per week, Jerry enjoyed life to the fullest as an active retiree. He was a member of the Old Guard in Princeton, NJ, the Romeo's lunch club, and a beloved member of his community where he served in many leadership roles. Jerry spearheaded the Arts Council and Explorers Clubs, started a much-loved Cornhole competition group and was himself a champion at both the Bocce, Shuffleboard and Cornhole competitions. He was a constant and motivating presence in the Walker's Club where he enjoyed Hopewell Valley's many walking trails, rain or shine, throughout all seasons. He was a weekly presence at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Trenton, NJ and later at St. James Parish in Pennington, NJ. Jerry leaves behind a legacy of laughs and a lifetime of stories to all of those who were lucky enough to know him and call him their friend, cousin, Uncle, Husband, Dad, or Pop Pop.
The funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00am on Friday, May 24, 2024 at St. James Roman Catholic Church 115 E. Delaware Avenue, Pennington, NJ 08534. In lieu of flowers, Jerry's family asks that donations be made in his memory to the National Kidney Foundation, 1900 Market Street, Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Arrangements are under the care of the FitzGerald-Sommer Funeral Home 17 S. Delaware Avenue, Yardley, PA 19067. Condolences for the family can be left at www.fitzgeraldsommerfuneralhome.com.
