Howard A. Lawrence

Lawrence, Howard A. Howard Lawrence passed away peacefully at his home in Washington on Monday, July 19, 2004 at the age of 87. He was born in Huron, South Dakota on July 3, 1917 to Anna and Simon Axelrad. As a young man he was an Eagle Scout and set the state record for running the mile in 1937. That same year he moved west to attend UCLA, where he graduated with a business degree and a major in accounting. While he was there he also played the trumpet in the UCLA band and marched in the Rose Parade. After graduating he continued to be an avid fan of UCLA athletics.
During WWII and the Korean War, Howard served in the Air Force as a Finance Officer, rising to the rank of Major. He traveled all over the world and especially enjoyed sharing memories of his service in India. In 1945, while stationed in St. Louis, he fell in love with Ann Loyd, whom he married later that year. Soon after, they moved to California to begin their family. They were married for 47 years until she passed away in 1992. Howard worked as a CFO for Max Factor Cosmetics for 30 years. After his retirement he continued his large private practice as a Certified Public Accountant. During his free time he loved following Dodgers baseball and enjoyed planning annual vacations with his family. He also enjoyed operating his model trains, especially at the holidays. He amassed an impressive stamp collection and also had one of the most extensive collections of autographed TIME magazine covers dating from the 1940s. The collection totalled over 1400 autographs by 1975. He was a Mason and a member of the Christian Science Church his entire life. In 1995, Howard married Donna Overholt with whom he spent the remainder of his life. In 2003, they moved to her hometown of Port Townsend, Washington. He is survived by his wife, Donna; his daughter, Vicki, her husband, Al Schultz, their children, Courtney and Garrett; and daughter, Joni and her husband, Jeff Hamilton. He was preceded in death by his brother, Irving Axelrad. He will be remembered for his love for his family, peaceful nature, sense of humor, and dedication to his work. A private service will be held for Howard at Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: Jefferson General Hospital, Home Health and Hospice, 834 Sheridan, Port Townsend, WA 98368.