Catherine Ann Fowler

Catherine "Cathy" Fowler, 79, of La Crescent, MN, passed away peacefully at Brookdale Senior Living in La Crosse, WI, on May 26, 2026.

Born in Harvey, Illinois, in 1946, Cathy and her family moved to Backus, Minnesota, in 1959. Cathy met her future husband, Robert, while a senior in high school at a local country store. He had just returned from four years in the Air Force. Shortly after graduation, they eloped. In 1964, it was not easy to make a long-distance call away from home. To their surprise, she sent her parents a telegram letting them know she was married. They spent a wonderful 62 years together.

In the 1970s, they moved to La Crescent due to her husband's job. Cathy worked at a La Crosse lighting store for many years. She also worked in housekeeping at the University of Wisconsin. Her work at the university was demanding, but she really loved it, staying there until her retirement.

Her passion was baking special desserts for friends and family. Her collection of recipe books could fill a library. Cathy was excellent at sewing. She lovingly made many special blankets for the whole family. Although Cathy neither drank nor gambled, she really enjoyed many trips to Las Vegas. After all, her husband was a pilot.

From her dining room windows, she would feed and watch the dozens of hummingbirds that continuously came to her feeders. She could barely keep up with making all that nectar.

She is survived by her brother Owen (Amy) LaRue, sisters Adrienne (Brian) Erickson and Louise Shaffer, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, many grandnieces and grandnephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert; her parents, Thomas and Angela, brother, Phillip; and her sister, Mary.

We will announce a celebration at a later date.