Jeffrey M. Howson

Jeffrey M. Howson
May 1, 1942 - April 8, 2023
On April 8, 2023, Jeffrey (Jeff) M. Howson passed away peacefully with his family by his side. He will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, love of learning, and incredible attention to detail, whether preparing complex tax returns or fixing a broken sprinkler head in the backyard.
Jeff was born in Seattle in 1942. From a young age, Jeff excelled academically, attending Roosevelt High School in Seattle, where he was valedictorian of a class of 800. He then enrolled at Harvard University on a full scholarship, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1964.
In early 1965, he journeyed to Australia on a Fulbright scholarship to study economics. When he wasn't in class or playing bridge, he hitchhiked around the countryside. He then traveled solo throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, kindling a passion for international travel that would take him to over 50 countries during his lifetime.
Jeff returned to Cambridge in 1966 to attend Harvard Business School. After receiving his MBA, he joined the San Francisco office of Arthur Young, one of the "Big 8" accounting firms. Jeff developed deeply treasured life-long friendships among his colleagues there. At this time he also began his longstanding association with Golden Gate University in San Francisco; first as a graduate of the MS in Taxation program and later as an adjunct professor specializing in Taxation of Trusts and Estates.
During his early years in San Francisco, he met Anne Kales, an artist and fellow adventurer. They were married in Buenos Aires in 1970 while traveling on an extended trip through Central and South America. Jeff and Anne welcomed their first child, Russell (Rusty) in 1973 and their daughter Erica in 1975.
In 1981, Jeff and his colleague Philip Simon left Arthur Young to start their own accounting firm. Howson and Simon specialized in providing tax and financial services to a small set of high-net-worth individuals, including many pivotal actors in the emergence of Silicon Valley as a hub of computing and technology. Jeff retired from the practice in 2014.
In 2016, Jeff and Anne moved to Marin County to spend more time with their children and four grandsons, to whom he was affectionately known as "Grampy." Jeff also enjoyed devoting time as a Bay Shore Studies docent at the Richardson Bay Audubon Center and as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer in the Marin County courts.
Jeff is survived by his beloved wife Anne, his children Rusty (Morgan) Howson and Erica (Greg) Fortescue, and their families, as well as his brother Mel in Seattle.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you honor Jeff's passion for education and environmental conservation by making a donation to a worthy educational organization of your choice or to the Union of Concerned Scientists. A celebration of life ceremony will be held on Sunday, June 11th in Marin County, California. Contact jeff.howson.memorial@gmail.com for information.