Margaret and Robert Fowler, or as we knew them: 'Hoot and Bob' are my mother's parents. They are the children of parents who were 'off the boat' and into a make it or break wilderness called 'America' in about 1890. Their parents grew up in America and learned what it takes to make money in business and real estate.

    Bob's parents are from Ireland. I remember Bob's mother's vegetable soup as interesting and tasty. Bob's parents made their money in real estate in Iowa, and possibly from selling whisky.

    Hoot's parents are from Germany. I never knew Hoot's father, but I knew her mother 'Gram' - who smoked CARTONS of cigarettes a day and lived in good heath for 91 years, until she died in her sleep.

    Bob Worked for the United States of America. His job was to find businesses that could provide materials and services to the United States Military, and his job was also to step in and provide the behind the scenes leadership to guide those companies - a lot of his work is classified as the military says. Bob worked worked real hard for the USA his entire career. I lived with my Grandparents in High School. Bob was cooked when he came home from work. But when he was home, he was home and a father. He set work aside and took all the time needed to help me grow up.
Thank you.

  Hoot Held the family together. My brothers, sister and I grew up where the best and worst of life was constantly taunted in front of us. Hoot helped us understand.

    My personal experience, the reason I lived to see my 16th birthday, is from Hoot's - I am paraphrasing many years - 'What happens if you make a mistake???' At the age of 15, I decided (1) Hoot you are correct, (2) from now on, I chose to find a way to win, instead of taking the easy way out and choosing to lose.

  Family With the education from my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, I:

1. Learned a degree in software
2. Learned an MBA
3. I swam in High School and College, setting 16 school and pool records.
4. In cycling, as a Category 1, set 2 TT course records, won 8 races, and was twice Chief Official of the US Pro Criterium National Championship before racing in the US Pro Criterium National Championship.

    March 9, 2001 I was run over during a ride - around the same time 2 brothers on Kelme were run over, and a US Masters Champion was also run over. The run overs were not connected - the crashes were in different parts of the world - in any way other than, as we all know, crashes happen in streaks.

    I lived, when those racers died, because of Hoot's 'Find a way' philosophy. For example, 1984 in a rainy race in Crystal Lake, Illinois, some racers were using the 'new' Look ski binding pedals. I was using 'clips and straps'. Everyone using Look pedals crashed when they tried to follow the 'clips and straps' racers into a turn. After that race, I asked the Look peddled racers (1) why they crashed, and (2) why they hit the pavement so hard???? The answers were (1) lack of pedal clearance, and (2) the ski binding pedals only released in ONE DIRECTION - OUT. I thought: (1) lack of clearance = slower cornering speed, and (2) only releasing OUT = if a car ever hits me from the side, releasing out = releasing into the car = I need to release before the car hits me. Pedal technology improved and I switched to Time pedals, and ever since then, I have mentally practiced - what if I am hit from the side??

    I am alive because because I was taught to ask: WHAT IF???