David Howie

1921 - 2023

Howie, David
November 9, 1921 - April 15, 2023
Printer, Teacher, Retired Army Major

Aha! I made it! At the tender age of 101, I have "slipped the surly bonds of Earth" and am content to be at peace with my wife, Betty Jane; my oldest son, Dave; and my grandson, Brian David. I decided to put pen to paper long before this and wanted to share some of my thoughts now that I am among the dearly departed.

I read somewhere that once you're dead, it won't matter how big your house was, what kind of car you drove, or how much money you made. All that matters is if you made a difference in the life of a child. As I pondered this, I thought I'd reach out to my remaining five children and ask each of them how I had influenced their lives and how they remembered me.

My oldest daughter, Dianne, said her first and longest lasting impression of me was as a soldier. You see, after I returned from active duty in WWII, I signed up for Active Reserve. I spent the day she was born and every subsequent birthday for the next 11 years training field artillery troops for duty in Korea and Vietnam.

Barbara, my second daughter, remembered that my hero had always been Ben Franklin and said, "Dad, to me, you will always be first and foremost a printer! By spending time at your print shop as a kid, you taught me everything from customer service to proofreading - all skills that served me well in my work life."

My son, Brian, was a teaching assistant at the same high school where I taught printing and other vocational arts. I had taught him the basics of auto mechanics, and when he saw how successful I'd been with just 2 years of post-high school education, he decided to do likewise and graduated with a 2-year degree himself.

Beth, my third daughter, noticed that mom and I were outstanding volunteers in our communities. She not only followed in my footsteps as a teacher, but was named Volunteer of the Year at one of her kid's schools. She said this meant more to her than any paying job she'd ever had!

My "baby," Deborah, wanted to be a successful entrepreneur like me, and made it her goal to do likewise. She not only built one, but two successful businesses on her own, all while she was a single mom. And like me, she learned how to "pivot" long before it became popular. She always landed on her feet.

Once the kids were settled in their lives, my wife, Betty, reminded me that I'd promised to retire at the age of 62. I'm glad I did because we got to spend the next 20 years together, traveling in various campers, to all 48 contiguous states and Alaska, stopping at every national park and monument. We especially enjoyed holding hands around our nightly campfires and Betty's favorites: the glorious rainbows and sunsets!

When she passed away from Alzheimer's in 2010, I stayed active with volunteer activities and more travels, including a visit to my ancestral home of Scotland. My friends said they loved being regaled with my recitations of epic poetry, like the Colorado favorite, "The Face Upon the Floor." And I loved besting contestants on Jeopardy by shouting out the answers faster than they could. I was blessed with a photographic memory and remembered all kinds of quirky facts and figures. I loved to tell jokes and was quite the dirty limerick writer and reciter…is there any other kind of limerick?!

I am most grateful to my kids for pulling off the party of the century…literally! All five branches of the armed services came together to celebrate my 100th birthday for a grand party at my assisted living residence. I was showered with thoughtful gifts and hundreds of cards. The festive occasion is memorialized in a beautiful coffee table book published by my daughter, Beth.

The compassionate team at Optimal Hospice Care made my last two months on Earth as pleasant as they could be. Thank you for your conversations and your care.

Finally, please know that my children, my five grandchildren, and my seven great grandchildren have made me a proud and happy man. I thank all of you for giving me such a fulfilling life!

Normally when writing a letter, I'd sign off with "See you soon!" but from where I am, you probably won't want to hear that. I'll just say "So long for now!" because I truly believe that we will all be together again one day.

Sincerely, David Howie

A note from his kids: Dad will be interred with full military honors in the family plot in Lodi, NY, at the family's convenience. In lieu of flowers or other gifts, and per Dad's wishes, we request donations be made in memory of David Howie to: Lodi Historical Society, P.O. Box 279, Lodi, NY 14860.