Melvin B. Fowler Jr., 68, of Fairview Township, Erie County, passed away Wednesday at his home.

He was born on Aug. 17, 1944, in Mars, son of the late Clara Harbison Fowler and Melvin B. Fowler Sr.

He was educated in Mars. He moved to Erie in 1960 and attended Academy High School.

After his education, he worked at GE, Ridg-U-Rak and White Consolidated, now PHB. Most recently, he worked at AMSCO, now Steris Inc., where he was a machinist, and retired from there in 1993.

Melvin was a member of the Fairview American Legion, the Edinboro-McKean VFW and the Siebenbuerger Club. He previously was a member of the Perry Highway Hose Company. He enjoyed golfing, hunting, fishing and working at his camp in West Springfield with his beloved dog, Molly. Above all else, he loved spending time with his grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Grace Mohrbacher in 2011.

He will be forever loved by his wife, Marjorie Gorniak Fowler, who he married on Jan. 15, 1966, in North East, Pa.; his two daughters, Linda M. Samec and her husband, William, of Erie and Heidi L. Leyden and her husband, Robert, of Richmond, Va.; his son, James A. Fowler and his wife, Terri, of Corry; his sister, Mary E. Bartels and her husband, Thomas, of Winter Springs, Fla.; his brother, Thomas G. Fowler and his wife, Joyce, of Baytown, Texas; his brother-in-law, Jack Mohrbacher of Zelienople; his grandchildren, Melanie and Megan Samec, Tyler, Ryan and Maryse Leyden, and James Jr., Jacob and Jean Fowler; and several nieces and nephews.

FOWLER — Friends of Melvin B. Fowler Jr., who died Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to the time of service at 11 a.m. at the Daniel R. Edder Funeral Home, 309 Main St. East, Girard, Erie County. The Rev. James Rimmer will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.Memorials may be made to the Fairview Fire Department, 7190 West Ridge Road, Fairview, PA 16415, to the West County Paramedic Association, 6852 Meadville Road, Girard, PA 16417, or to Great Lakes Hospice, 1700 Peach St., Suite 244, Erie, PA 16501.To send condolences, visit edderfuneralhome.com.