Born in Roanoke, Virginia. Received A.B. from Roanoke College in 1929. Graduate of Yale Law School in 1933. Admitted to the Virginia bar in 1933. Married Trudye Pamela Hathcote October 19, 1938. They had two daughters and a son.

Employed by the Tennessee Valley Authority 1934 to 1940. Served as council to various federal agencies. Senior member of Fowler, Leva Hawes & Symington 1946 to 1965.

Appointed Under Secretary of the Treasury and served February 3, 1961, to April 10, 1964. Appointed Secretary of the Treasury and served April 1, 1965, to December 20, 1968. His signature appears on Federal Reserve Notes, series of 1950-E and 1963-A. Partner in Goldman, Sachs & Co. after 1969. He served on the board for various corporations and civic organizations.

Fowler is honored with a mint medal (USM 220) as part of the series of medals for Secretaries of the Treasury. The obverse die was by Frank Gasparro. The reverse by Edgar Z. Steever.

Fowler appears on the Assay Commission medal for 1966 (AC-110). The obverse was reduced from the Fowler medal (USM 220). The reverse was by Phillip Fowler.

He died in Alexandria, Virginia.

bio: BDEB; Failor; IntWW 91-92; WW 92; WWA 94 obit NYT 1/5/2000