BARNABY HOWARD

HOWARD, Barnaby J
Barnaby J. Howard, son of a British lord, who grew up to be a pilot with the U.S. Navy during World War II and later a rancher in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) before returning to the United States to set up a successful investment company, died Sunday, December 18th, 2011 at home in the Jacksonville, Florida suburb of Orange Park at age 86 after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma.
In 1952, he married Betsy Mayfield of St. Louis, MO. They had three children - Alan, Elizabeth and Sarah - living in Africa where they had many adventures until the dissolution of Rhodesia and their marriage in 1968. In 1970, while studying at Harvard Business School, he began the second part of his life, moving permanently to the United States after marrying his second wife, Mary Jane Bishop, of Bedford, N.Y. After her death in 1994, he moved back to Jacksonville, briefly marrying Linda Kitson of London. In 2005, he began finalizing his memoirs, "Questioning the Answers", at the encouragement of his wife Evelyn (Evie) Mc Donald of Montreal, Canada whom he had married in 2006.
He is survived by his wife, Evie, two brothers, Euan, Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal of Great Britain, and Jonathon Howard of Sweden; two daughters Elizabeth de Laperouse and Sarah Thomasson, both of St. Louis, MO; five step-children from the Bishop family: Janie Putnam of Bedminster, N.Y., Nat Bishop of Barrington, R.I., Cindy Dickey of Philadelphia, Pa., Priscilla Henry of Sewickley, Pa, and Linda Moody of Wellesley, MA; six grandchildren, 12 step grandchildren, four step great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son Alan Howard and his sister Didon Faber.
A small private burial service was held on December 27 in Orange Park. Memorial services in celebration of Barny's life will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, Orange Park Florida on February 4th at 11:00 a.m. and at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, London, England on March 16th at noon.
In lieu of flowers, donations to one of Barny's favorite charities are requested: www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org , www.stannstewards.org/ news.php , www.helptibet.org.uk . For a more comprehensive list of the groups Barny cared most about, please see www.barneysense.com .