Gertrude M. (McDonough) Fowler

ALLENSTOWN- Gertrude Fowler, of Allenstown, died at home after a brief illness on Halloween day, surrounded by her loving family. She was 87.

A former charge nurse at NH Hospital, in Concord, and one-time president of the NH Hospital Chapter of the State Employees Union, she is survived by her three children, Joseph Fowler and his wife, Barbara, of Newtown CT, Gerard Fowler II of Allenstown, Maureen Savoy and her husband, Glenn, of Allenstown, four grandchildren, Nicholas Fowler, Chelsea Fowler, Gerard Fowler III, and Peter Gelinas, as well as five great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents, Arthur and Gertrude McDonough, her beloved husband Gerard Fowler, her daughter-in-law Lynne Fowler and son-in-law Steven Gelinas.

Born in Lawrence, MA, her thirst for education and service spanned more than 50 years. As a young woman she earned her RN at St. Joseph’s Hospital a BS in Early Childhood Education from Jersey City State College, later MS in Psychiatric Nursing from Rivier University, and was a Certified Nurse Practitioner. She also worked as a nurse at Elliot Hospital in Manchester on the geriatric psychiatric unit and taught senior rotations in psychiatric nursing for the University of New Hampshire.

She was a gentle and loving person who never needed the spotlight to shine. She was the first nurse in NH to be certified in AIDS, and as a Catholic Charities volunteer, she spent a school year teaching first graders at the Oglala Lakota Sioux reservation in Pine Ridge, SD. And, in her final career, she worked for 22 years running the office at Granite State Orthotics, in Concord, where she loved interacting with patients on a different level - a job she kept well into her 87th year.

She was an accomplished seamstress, and loved jigsaw puzzles, summer vacations at York Beach, ME, crafts, owls, family and her grandbabies. She was a selfless, unbelievably caring person who was willing to help everyone she met, and she will be greatly missed.

Calling Hours will be held on Friday, November 3rd from 4 to 6 P.M. in The Roan Family Funeral Home, 167 Main St. in Pembroke.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, November 4th at 10 A.M. in St. John the Baptist Church in Allenstown.  Burial will follow in Holy Rosary Cemetery, Hooksett. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your favorite charity in Gertrude’s memory.  To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.roanfamilyfuneral.com