COURTLAND – William J. &uot;Bill&uot; Fowler Jr., 81, widower of Daisy Matthews Fowler, died Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2003, in Southampton Memorial Hospital. He was also predeceased by two sisters, Edna Gunn and Della Banagan.

A native of Southampton County and a former resident of Suffolk, he was an Army veteran of WWII, and had retired from the Norfolk assembly plant of Ford Motor Company.

Survivors include two stepsons, Paige King and Louis King; two sisters, Viola Johnson and Barbara Ann Fowler; seven brothers, Rochelle, Charles, David, Claud Edward, Daniel and Willie Fowler and Oscar McClenny; a devoted companion, Nellie Weaver, and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in Wright Funeral Home, Franklin. Burial will follow in Holland Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home