Obituary

Edward Fournier, husband & life-partner of Ann Fournier, father to Megan and Matthew, passed away last Friday at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham. He was surrounded by his wife and children, loved and loving, peaceful. His family and friends mourn the loss of this sweet, funny and courageous man.
Born in Tacoma, Washington in 1948 to Dorothy and Edward Fournier, now both deceased, Ed was a self-declared army brat. He spent several years living in Germany, where his father was stationed, an experience that he loved to share, and which gave him an appreciation for other cultures and people.
After graduating from college with a Psychology & Education degree from Western Washington University, he joined his friend as a fishing partner, working as a commercial fisherman in Bellingham for several years.
In 1978, Ed decided to pursue a career in nursing, first earning an LPN degree from Bellingham Technical College, and then his RN from Olympic College in Bremerton. This is where he met the love of his life and future wife and partner-in-life, Ann. Together they returned to Bellingham, where Ed worked as a nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital.
His excellence there earned him the recognition of instructors from the Bellingham Technical College Nursing Program, who encouraged him to apply for an instructor position at the College. This began his 20-year career as a truly talented Nursing Instructor for the program at BTC, where he touched the lives and nurtured the careers of hundreds of other nursing graduates, many of whom continue to work in Bellingham. He touched their lives and careers with his excellent teaching, and he touched their hearts with his humor and warmth.
Ed was also a champion of the people, a union man, supporting and working long hours for the local and national educational associations he belonged to, the WEA and the NEA. He also served as the president of the BTC Union for many years. He believed in and loved this work.
In 2003, Ed suffered a debilitating stroke. However, instead of succumbing to his disabilities, he rose above them with courage, determination, perseverance, inner strength, wit, and his ever-present signature sense of humor.
His family recalls the many wonderful vacations they enjoyed together, camping with family and friends at Lake Pearrygin, hiking at Mt. Baker and Mt. Rainier, and kayaking in Bellingham Bay. There were road trips to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and Harrison Hot Springs in Canada. Most recently was a trip to Kauai, where his son-in-law Sean McLaughlin surprised his daughter Megan with a wedding proposal on the beach. Megan and Sean were married in Seattle in 2013, where Megan danced the first dance with her handsome father, which was a beautiful and memorable moment for everyone there.
In 2005 Ed and Ann moved into the Fairhaven Garden Condos. Ed loved this spectacular setting with a view of Bellingham Bay, and a rooftop garden, where he could sit with his cherished morning coffee and read the news or listen to the birds. They were surrounded here by neighbors who became like family, stopping by often to chat with Ed, who always had a warm welcome, a smile on his face, and always a goofy joke or two. His presence will be felt and missed.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Ann Fournier, his children, Megan Fournier and Matthew Cowgill, their spouses, Sean McLaughlin and Suzy Cowgill, and his grandson Leo Cowgill, among his sister, Lisa Gantt of South Carolina, his sisters and brothers-in-law, and many other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his sister, Phyllis Hall, and brother, Bob Fournier.
The family would like to thank the caregivers at Mt Baker Care center who treated him with such great care and kindness, the St Joseph Hospital staff and doctors, the nurses and therapists, Dr. Hall, who cared for him with such compassion over the years, and especially, in the last day of his life, the nurses: Katie in ER, Jo, in ICU and most especially, Sarah in ICU, who was the epitome of what a nurse should be and an example of what Ed strived to teach those many students. It was fitting that he received what he gave to the nursing profession he loved.
A memorial service for Ed will be held July 16 from 11:00-1:00pm at Fairhaven Garden Condo, 1134 Finnegan Way. This is to be a celebration of Ed’s life. Attire is casual/comfortable, shorts, and flip flops, Hawaiian shirts and sun hats are encouraged. It will be outside on the rooftop garden at the place Ed loved the most.