Changes

In the second round of balloting, Fowler polled 762,324 votes (62.8 percent) to Baker's 452,189 (37.2 percent). Baker won 68.1 percent in his own Franklin Parish, which Treen lost to the Democrat Louis Lambert of Baton Rouge. Baker received 55.8 percent and 51.2 percent in his neighboring Richland and Ouachita parishes, respectively. He polled 49.1 percent in Caddo Parish (Shreveport) and ran nearly as well in Calcasieu Parish ([[Lake Charles]]),<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, December 8, 1979.</ref> where he had the support of reform former state Senator Robert Gambrell "Bob" Jones,  a Democrat-turned Republican and the son of former Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]]. Fowler though could claim an impressive victory under the circumstances, and he vowed to continue the spirit of public service epitomized by his ailing father, who died weeks before his son could take the oath of office as his successor.

In the second round of balloting, Fowler polled 762,324 votes (62.8 percent) to Baker's 452,189 (37.2 percent). Baker won 68.1 percent in his own Franklin Parish, which Treen lost to the Democrat Louis Lambert of Baton Rouge. Baker received 55.8 percent and 51.2 percent in his neighboring Richland and Ouachita parishes, respectively. He polled 49.1 percent in Caddo Parish (Shreveport) and ran nearly as well in Calcasieu Parish ([[Lake Charles]]),<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, December 8, 1979.</ref> where he had the support of reform former state Senator Robert Gambrell "Bob" Jones,  a Democrat-turned Republican and the son of former Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]]. Fowler though could claim an impressive victory under the circumstances, and he vowed to continue the spirit of public service epitomized by his ailing father, who died weeks before his son could take the oath of office as his successor.

​==Easy reelection victories==​

==Easy reelection victories==​

 

Fowler faced little difficulty in being reelected in the primaries held in 1983, 1987, 1991 or 1995. In 1987, his tally exceeded one million votes: 1,079,851 (83 percent) against fellow Democrat James Alan "Jim" Rentz (1933–2011), a native of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] and a [[United States Navy]] veteran of the [[Korean War]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=james-alan-rentz-jim&pid=148637757|title=James Alan "Jim" Rentz|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' February 15, 2011|accessdate=February 15, 2011}}</ref> who polled 217,886 ballots (17 percent).<ref>Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> Like Fowler, Rentz was a former professional football player. He was a former employee of the Louisiana Department of Education in Baton Rouge, where he had long resided.<ref>"Rentz challenging Fowler," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' October 23, 1987, p. 3A.</ref>

Fowler faced little difficulty in being reelected in the primaries held in 1983, 1987, 1991 or 1995. In 1987, his tally exceeded one million votes: 1,079,851 (83 percent) against fellow Democrat James Alan "Jim" Rentz (1933–2011), a native of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] and a [[United States Navy]] veteran of the [[Korean War]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=james-alan-rentz-jim&pid=148637757|title=James Alan "Jim" Rentz|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' February 15, 2011|accessdate=February 15, 2011}}</ref> who polled 217,886 ballots (17 percent).<ref>Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> Like Fowler, Rentz was a former professional football player. He was a former employee of the Louisiana Department of Education in Baton Rouge, where he had long resided.<ref>"Rentz challenging Fowler," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' October 23, 1987, p. 3A.</ref>

The odds are the job would still be a Fowler fiefdom if the second occupant of the office had not been caught looting the till in 1999. A legislative auditor found that Jerry Fowler had been taking kickbacks on the purchase of voting machines and occasionally paying friends of his to haul them around even when there was no election scheduled. Fowler was indicted on eight counts of malfeasance in office, entered a guilty plea, and was sentenced to prison for five years<ref name=jwr/></blockquote>​

The odds are the job would still be a Fowler fiefdom if the second occupant of the office had not been caught looting the till in 1999. A legislative auditor found that Jerry Fowler had been taking kickbacks on the purchase of voting machines and occasionally paying friends of his to haul them around even when there was no election scheduled. Fowler was indicted on eight counts of malfeasance in office, entered a guilty plea, and was sentenced to prison for five years<ref name=jwr/></blockquote>​

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==Abduction of Mari Ann Fowler==​

==Abductions of Mari Ann Fowler==

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During his incarceration, Fowler's second wife, Mari Ann Fowler (born April 12, 1937), disappeared on [[Christmas]] Eve 2002. She was abducted from the parking lot of a fast-food outlet in Port Allen in West Baton Rouge Parish, where she had stopped while headed to Beaumont to visit her husband. The abduction was partially photographed by a security camera. Never found, she was declared legally dead by a Louisiana state court judge in May 2004.​

During his incarceration, Fowler's second wife, Mari Ann Fowler (born April 12, 1937), disappeared on [[Christmas]] Eve 2002. She was abducted from the parking lot of a fast-food outlet in Port Allen in West Baton Rouge Parish, where she had stopped while headed to Beaumont to visit her husband. The abduction was partially photographed by a security camera. Never found, she was declared legally dead by a Louisiana state court judge in May 2004.​

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On August 27, 2005, Fowler held a memorial service for his wife in the Holy Ghost [[Catholic]] Church in her native Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish. In addition to her husband, MariAnn was survived by her then 90-year-old mother, Rose Santangelo (1914–2006)<ref name=ssdi/> and a sister, Jo Ann O'Neil, both of Hammond; a son from a previous marriage, John A. Pritchett (born 1959), and two granddaughters, Chelsea Pritchett and Baylea Pritchett, all of Brusly in West Baton Rouge Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=​http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:_VeiAR3TwhYJ:www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20050820/NEWS01/508200364/0/NEWS01+jerry+fowler&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=43|title=MariAnn Fowler|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=August 20, 2005|accessdate=August 21, 2019; no longer on-line}}</ref>'

On August 27, 2005, Fowler held a memorial service for his wife in the Holy Ghost [[Catholic]] Church in her native Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish. In addition to her husband, MariAnn was survived by her then 90-year-old mother, Rose Santangelo (1914–2006)<ref name=ssdi/> and a sister, Jo Ann O'Neil, both of Hammond; a son from a previous marriage, John A. Pritchett (born 1959), and two granddaughters, Chelsea Pritchett and Baylea Pritchett, all of Brusly in West Baton Rouge Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=​http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:_VeiAR3TwhYJ:www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20050820/NEWS01/508200364/0/NEWS01+jerry+fowler&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=43|title=MariAnn Fowler|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=August 20, 2005|accessdate=August 21, 2019; no longer on-line}}</ref>'

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==Fowler's death==​

==Fowler's death==

Fowler died in a Baton Rouge hospital at the age of sixty-eight of heart failure following [[surgery]]. He was [[cremation|cremated]]. A memorial service was held at University [[United Methodist]] Church in Baton Rouge on January 29, 2009, which was also the 29th anniversary of the date of death of Fowler's father.

Fowler died in a Baton Rouge hospital at the age of sixty-eight of heart failure following [[surgery]]. He was [[cremation|cremated]]. A memorial service was held at University [[United Methodist]] Church in Baton Rouge on January 29, 2009, which was also the 29th anniversary of the date of death of Fowler's father.

Fowler was survived by three children from a previous marriage to Sue Fowler, later Sue Weaver of Natchez in Natchitoches Parish: Susannah Fowler Craig and husband Stewart, of Baton Rouge, Margaret Fowler, of [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], and John Marston Fowler and wife Jennifer, of Baton Rouge. He was also survived by his paternal uncle, "Mutt" Fowler. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, Dr. Wiley Douglas Fowler, Jr. (1938–1998), and a paternal uncle, John R. Fowler (1912–1990).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/theadvocate/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=123406013|title=Jerry M. Fowler obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate]]''|accessdate=January 29, 2009}}</ref>​

Fowler was survived by three children from a previous marriage to Sue Fowler, later Sue Weaver of Natchez in Natchitoches Parish: Susannah Fowler Craig and husband Stewart, of Baton Rouge, Margaret Fowler, of [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], and John Marston Fowler and wife Jennifer, of Baton Rouge. He was also survived by his paternal uncle, "Mutt" Fowler. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, Dr. Wiley Douglas Fowler, Jr. (1938–1998), and a paternal uncle, John R. Fowler (1912–1990).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/theadvocate/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=123406013|title=Jerry M. Fowler obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate]]''|accessdate=January 29, 2009}}</ref>​

==References==

==References==