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Bruce Hayes Howard, age 71 of Chicago passed away April 17, 2015 after a long and courageous fight with metastatic lung cancer. He was born in Howell, MI to the late Lucille and Herbert Howard. Bruce graduated from Hammond High School in Alexandria VA in 1961, where he participated in football and wrestling. His school later became TC Williams, the school featured in the movie "Remember the Titans." Bruce joined the Marine Corps in 1961, and was honorably discharged after six years of service in 1967. He attended George Washington University where he graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He later earned his MBA at Pepperdine University. Bruce's early career included technology luminaries Sperry Univac and Data General, where he worked in their respective Honolulu offices. He became a partner at Grant Thornton in 1978 where he was a consultant for 17 years, most of them in Chicago. He was most recently with Sensitech Inc. where he retired in 2013. During his 18 years in Hawaii, Bruce developed a passion for sailing and surfing with his kids, and many in Honolulu knew him as Coach from the countless hours he spent volunteering as a soccer coach for his daughter's teams. Bruce is survived by his wife, Patricia Veverica of Chicago and his children Kimberly Carhart (Denny) of Kihei Hawaii and Matthew Glen Howard of Honolulu, HI. He is also survived by his sister Betsy Howard (Toby Chaffin) of Columbia SC; many nieces and nephews, and a cherished granddaughter, Coral Kai Carhart of Kihei. Bruce will be fondly remembered by family for his handsome good looks, military bearing, and fondness for classic cars. A Celebration of Life will be held in Chicago at 10AM on May 29, 2015 at Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue at Delaware Place. A reception will follow. His ashes will later be interred in a Hawaiian water ceremony in Maui on June 29, 2015. Arrangements by Cremation Society of Illinois, 773-281-5058 or www.cremation-society.com.
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4 Entries
Dear Bruce's family:
Thanks for the opportunity to say that I LOVED working for Bruce Howard at Grant in SF. I often mention Life Lessons that Bruce taught me. He taught me mostly by pulling the right answer out of me in my own words - A clever "methodology" employed by a brilliant man. I'm so sorry to hear that he's gone.
He called me a "Jewish mother" before I ever became one. He used to tell the story of how Grant's "Jewish mother figure" shook the sense INTO a little blond who was literally freaking out after the 1989 SF earthquake. (I was a disaster recovery expert, after all!)
He gave me marching orders during the quake to check half our offices for trapped or scared people and then meet him in the lobby after he checked the other half of the building. His decisiveness, focus, and determination to do what was right, are values I absorbed readily and still remember him for.
When Bruce left SF for Chicago, he offered to take me with him. My response was "Thanks, but if you're leaving, I think I'll go home and get pregnant". He replied, "Excuse me?!"
I was really staying because I liked working for Bruce, and my traveling husband and I did really want kids. Four kids later, I'm very happy with my choice to become a stay-at-home mom, but I cherish my time spent as Bruce's protege and the professional and life lessons I learned from him.
It's strange that I've googled and Facebook searched Bruce a couple of times but never found anything about him online until now. Glad I was thinking about him today and looked again.
May his memory be cherished among the living forever. (A traditional thing for a Jewish mother to say)
Oh, and my aunt met Bruce at my baby shower and said, "Oh, Your boss looks like a movie star!" (I think she would agree that the photo you chose for the obituary here boosts her opinion.)
Best wishes to you all, and again, so sorry!
Robinn Magid
January 18, 2017
Matthew Howard
December 9, 2016
I went to Hammond High School with Bruce and in fact we double dated to the Senior Prom. Bruce was a great person full of fun and energy. I am proud to have known Bruce. He served his country in the Marines, had the discipline to obtain a great education. He had an outstanding professional career and a wonderful family. He had a life well lived and I am so sorry for his family's loss.
Stephen Small
May 18, 2015
Fond memories of Bruce while at Braun Consulting in Chicago. A great guy who will be missed by all who knew him. RIP.
Brian Queenin
April 29, 2015
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