Robert Booth Fowler

I grew up with Booth in Niagara Falls. We went to St. Stephen´s Episcopal Church where we sang in the choir. I have a picture of the two of us in our choir finery. It´s been so many years since then but I still have so many fond memories of him.

Booth Fowler was the finest professor of my academic career. His innovative and challenging History of Political Thought classes elevated my analytical process. Thank you, professor for inspiring and shaping me. I´ve gone on to get 2 other degrees and never met your equal. Lynn Eldred, Ed.D UW class of 1975

I was one of Prof. Fowler´s students in the 70´s. I took every class of his I could get into. He was a very engaging teacher with a gift for drawing students into his lectures. His course on Post WW2 pragmatism changed my view of politics and the world. He was the best professor I ever had.

Lynda and I have known his dear wife Alice for years, since we have all been members of the Presbyterian church in Waunakee. Booth was Catholic, so we didn't get to see him much. However, he recently masterfully reorganized our church library. I first met Booth then and also at author Margaret George's reading of her book "Mary Magdalene" held at our church. Booth and I are both about the same age, and I thought this is an interesting man with whom I could be friends. Alas, it was not...

I finally gave to a nagging reminder to look up Booth's name and came up on this. I am both deeply saddened by this news and happy at the same time for the life he lived. Booth was my dissertation advisor at Wisconsin, over half a century ago. What an amazing man. What a free and boundless imagination! What a generous and kind heart! And what an example of the sheer love of learning. I have been a better teacher, scholar and person for having known him. Fair Winds and Following Seas from an...

Condolences to Alice and all Booth´s family. I witnessed Booth´s enduring engagement with friends, joining him with Alice and others for brunch - usually in Summer. Ever the Professor, he was observant and incisive. He was full of joy and that was always a surprise and part of the "enigma" - a word used to describe him. I learned a lot from Booth. He will be missed.

Like hundreds of students, he was an enormous influence in my life. A great lecturer. A good man. Don Wiener, Madison

Booth Fowler, as he liked to be called, was magic. In 1980 he called on me by name the second day of class. By then he knew all the students names and there were well over one hundred. Inexplicably in all the lecture courses I took from him he would end on a profound point a split second before the bell rang. How he kept his timing amidst a sea of questions no one will ever know. His greatness as a teacher when the country was laden with prided by wonderful humanities speakers will, I...