Douglas Antoine Fowler

Douglas Antoine Fowler aka “Toine/Doug” was surrounded by family when he was called home to be with his father on January 18, 2025, after a courageous health battle.

 Antoine was born in Nashville, Tennessee on July 21, 1967, to Joyce Fowler Joseph and the late Robert Douglas Fowler. 

 He was educated in the Nashville Metro Public School system and graduated with honors in 1985 from Antioch High School. During his time at Antioch High, he excelled in all his classes, was a member of the Antioch Marching Band as one of the lead Snare drummers, and was well known and liked by his peers.

 He attended Memphis State University to study engineering.

While there, a swim instructor noticed his extraordinary swimming skills. He was so impressed that he was asked to take the necessary steps to become a certified lifeguard. After college, while deciding his career path, he worked as a lifeguard at the Northwest YMCA. And to this day, he is known by many as the legendary lifeguard “Dougie Fresh.” He taught many how to swim and gave countless life lessons to the youth there.

Antoine loved nature and being outside and chose to continue an occupation that would allow him to do so full-time. He was soon given that opportunity and became employed by Collier Roofing Company. He mastered the craft of roofing and was an employee there for 28 years.

 He will forever be known as a good human who was wise beyond his years, patient as an ox, unbothered by anything, and “cooler than the other side of the pillow,” the guy with a perfect AFRO! 

He leaves to cherish his memory a devoted wife and best friend Kathy Marshall Fowler, a loving mother Joyce Fowler Joseph, children D ’Toria Fowler, Christopher (Nu Nu) Sims, Cory Smith, brother Paul Steven (Marcia) Joseph II, sisters Kimberly Owen, Deadra Ashford-Montgomery, devoted mother-in-law Patsy Woods, sister-in-law Tracey Marshall, Tomikia (Mark) Hopkins, aunts Emma Clark, Valary (Ted) Payne, Velvety Williams, Carolyn Chaka Williams, Delores Gilmore and Vivian Joseph, nephews Keith and Kortez Potter, Darius Tuttle, Marcel Hopkins, nieces Arica Standard, Markia Hopkins, and Carmen Baker, sister-brother cousin’s Katrina Williams, and Bryant Williams, and a plethora of many Special cousins and an abundance of family and friends.

We will always carry your memory in our hearts.