Louis M. Howie passed away peacefully on January 23, 2021, at his current residence in Jacksonville, FL.
Born in Brighton, NY, Lou grew up on a farm and graduated from Hilton High School in 1947. He was competitively selected for a work study program at Cornell University, earning a degree in Agricultural Education and a commission as a distinguished Air Force ROTC graduate in 1951. Lou and his wife Betty married in 1952, and their subsequent sixty-nine years together included military and civil service assignments to New York, England, Texas, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Florida.
Lou highly valued education and was a skillful administrator of and advocate for research-based learning. His academic coursework extended well beyond that required to complete his Master’s in Education from the University of Massachusetts.
Committed to the work of the church, Lou attended Anglican, Methodist, non-denominational, Congregational, and Presbyterian churches throughout his lifetime. He was the Sunday School superintendent at the First Congregational Church in South Hadley, MA, and a Presbyterian Church elder in both Florida and Texas. He faithfully and proudly served as dedicated coffee maker for Sunday services and Friday Men's Breakfast throughout his retirement.
Lou’s creative skills extended beyond work to include oil-painting and woodworking. Family members continue to enjoy more than twenty of his oil paintings derived from Christmas cards, jigsaw puzzles, and photographs, with his most prolific subject being Texas Hill Country bluebonnet landscapes. Children and grandchildren dine at his sturdy picnic tables and continue to use repurposed or refinished furniture. Several churches and retreat centers benefit from his custom-built cabinets and hand-crafted Sunday school play figures.
After retirement, Lou and Betty enjoyed travel and community involvement. Inspired by trips to Japan and Australia during military service, they enjoyed visits to Alaska, New Zealand, and "Mystery Trips" to unannounced areas of interest nationwide. Lou remained active with the Canyon Lake Noon Lions Club, especially with the Fish Fry and Shrimp Fest fund raising events. Outside the home, birds, squirrels, and deer entertained him when he sat on his porch. Inside the home, The Weather Channel and FOX News, with captions on and volume down, entertained and informed him as he dozed in his favorite recliner.
Lou is survived by his wife, Anna E. (Betty) (Driver); his children, Jack (Nancy), Lorilyn Howie-Kipphut, Jerry (Kari), and Heather (Jesse) Alexander; thirteen grandchildren; five great-granddaughters; his sister, Doris Edwards of Corning, NY; and many nieces and nephews .
A memorial service for Louis Howie will be held at Mandarin Presbyterian Church on Sunday, January 31 at 2:00 pm, EST. It will also be available for viewing on Facebook Live (search Jesse Alexander; video will be made public). A committal service with military honors will be at the Jacksonville National Cemetery on Wednesday, February 3, 2021, at 2:00 pm, EST.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Canyon Lake Presbyterian Church, Canyon Lake, TX https://canyonlakepres.org/ or Heifer International https://www.heifer.org or "charity of choice."
