Bruce G. Fowler passed away peacefully on Thursday August 27, 2026. Although he spent his adult life in Huntsville, Alabama, he maintained strong ties to Florida, where he had lived for years, attended college, and still had extended family. Bruce was a true leader in his field who leaves behind a legacy of hard work, excellence, and mentorship, exemplified by his professional accomplishments and the lasting impact he made on others.
An only child, Bruce was born to Raymond and Gertrude Fowler in St. Louis, Missouri on November 2, 1948. As an “Air Force brat,” he moved around, living in Missouri, California, South Carolina, and even Germany during his childhood, before his father’s retirement. Bruce and his family settled in Satellite Beach, Florida where he graduated from high school in 1966.
Bruce subsequently attended the University of Florida (UF) where he pursued a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1971, Bruce graduated from UF with his Bachelor of Science, married his college sweetheart, Janet Fowler, and moved to Huntsville, Alabama. While some people may have been intimidated by the prospect of moving out of state and away from family, Janet and Bruce faced the challenge with enthusiasm. They quickly settled in, making friends and building rich lives and thriving careers in Huntsville.
Throughout his career, Bruce worked on numerous projects of national and global significance. After graduating in 1971, his first job was at Teledyne Brown Engineering, where he worked on ensuring the safety of Skylab, the United States’ first space station. From there, Bruce transitioned to Wyle Laboratories, where he tested the safety of nuclear power plant equipment. In 1982, Bruce began working as a Civilian Engineer for the United States Army, where he remained until his retirement in 2010. He initially worked on short-to-medium-range air defense before transitioning to work on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Fondly known as “the Father of the Raven.” Bruce was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Raven program as well as the creation of the Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Laboratory (SUAV Lab) at Redstone Arsenal. Bruce reflected that being able to help soldiers was his most important work.
A Gator for life, Bruce enjoyed watching college football and auto racing in his spare time. He also enjoyed boating, cooking and developing his own recipes, and training and showing dogs. Bruce collected cars and loved nothing more than revving the engine of his Shelby Cobra Mustang and Corvette Stingray.
Left to honor Bruce’s memory are his wife of 55 years, Janet Fowler; his sisters-in-law, Vanessa Starling and Julia Aycock (Rick); his nephew, Jeffrey Aycock (Stephanie); his nieces, Sarah Dew-Reeves (Kevin) and Jessica Bizzozzaro; his great-nephew, Mason Aycock; and great nieces, Isabel Reeves and Charlotte Bizzozzaro; and several cousins. In addition to family, Bruce leaves behind neighbors, friends, and former colleagues who cared about him deeply.
Bruce will be remembered as someone who spent a lifetime using his talents and intelligence to solve problems—whether at work or to support those in his life—as only an engineer could. While he had a dry sense of humor and a biting wit, he could be incredibly kind and caring, especially to those about whom he cared. He was a truly interesting person in the best sense of the word- talented, quirky, funny, and brilliant. He will be missed by those who knew him.
Bruce’s family wishes to thank the staff of Huntsville Hospital and Huntsville Hospital Hospice Family Care. No services are planned. Memorials in his name may be made to Vanderbilt Center for Kidney Disease Nephrology.
