Obituaries - December 21, 2012 - Rev. Don Howard
The Rev. Don Howard, 87, a retired Elder, died Dec. 21, 2012 of cardiovascular disease. A memorial service was held Jan. 19, at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center in Columbia.
Don Edwin Howard was born July 2, 1925, in Marlow, Oklahoma, the son of wagon-train migrants from the Eastern Shore. He joined the Navy “Seabees” during World War II.
In 1953, Howard married D.C. native Bessie Cobb in Chicago. They bought a farm in Michigan where he served as lay pastor in two churches. In 1966, he and his family moved to Washington, D.C., where he attended American University and Wesley Seminary.
Most of Howard’s ministry was in extension ministries. He pastored Douglas Memorial UMC in 1964-67, then for a year was Wesley Foundation director at Howard University. From 1968 to 1973, he was director of Metropolitan Ministries of Washington. For two years he served Emory UMC, then in 1975 became coordinator of Bicentennial Programs, In 1977, he moved to the Wesley Institute of Urban Ministries. In 1980 and 1981, he was on sabbatical and a leave of absence, returning to active ministry with Peace Ministry in 1984. He was placed on Honorable Location in 1985 and retired in 1989.
Howard traveled to many places, including cross-country with his children, scuba diving in Belize, and gold mining in Sierra Leone and Bolivia. In the mid-1980s, he spent much of his time in Georgia where he became a certified building inspector, and built a catamaran boat with his son and family.
The Howards were members of the Watermark Place condominium community in Columbia, where he served on the Building Committee. They spent countless hours with family and friends discussing politics, science, spirituality, current events, memories and their growing family.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Bessie Cobb Howard; five children: John E.Howard of McLean, Va., James W. Howard of Stone Mountain, Ga., Judith R. Howard of Gaiathersburg, Jenifer Howard Nalli of Vienna, Va., and Janette Howard Gillis of College Park; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren with two more on the way;
Condolences may be sent to Bessie Howard, 10001 Windstream Drive, Unit 608, Columbia, MD 21044.
Donations may be made in his memory to the Southern Poverty Law Center, www.splcenter.org
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