Glendon Eugene Howse

For all who knew him, Glen Howse lived life on his own terms. He was the captain of his own ship, literally and figuratively, with a Coast Guard captain’s license and a take-charge personality on sea and land. He possessed a legendary work ethic tackling tasks great and small, whether managing accounts at his institutional/commercial electrical firm C&L in Lansing or tracking beer tent sales for the Elk Rapids AMVETS Post #114. He planned subdivisions, managed electrical projects for schools, universities, and hospitals across Michigan, made homes for his family, and built furniture for his daughters and grandchildren.

Glen was born in Saginaw, Michigan, the fourth of five brothers, and grew up in DeWitt where he worked on the family farm, joined the Boy Scouts, and hunted and fished across central Michigan. After graduating from DeWitt High School in 1966, Glen went to work at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing where his mother Grendolyn Howse and his adopted father Melvin Howse worked.

It was in Lansing that Glen met his future wife, Myrna Booth, and the two were married on November 11, 1967, prior to Glen’s enlistment in the US Army. Glen served two tours in the Republic of Vietnam as a Sargent (E-5) with the “Tropic Lightning” 25th Division from April 1969 until November 1970. Assigned as a radio teletype operator in Cu Chi, he earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. Glen didn’t talk about his time overseas aside from memories of R&R in Hawaii and Thailand, but he was a proud veteran with a strong sense of love for his country. He was especially active in the American Legion and AMVETS Post #114 in Elk Rapids.

Myrna and Glen bought their first home, a duplex in Lansing, shortly after Glen left the military. Glen attended Lansing Business University where he studied accounting and real estate. Glen became a partner in the commercial electrical contracting firm, C&L Electric as well as becoming a leader in the Waverly Jaycees and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). At NECA Glen served as chairman of the Lansing Division of the Michigan Chapter through the 1980s and 1990s. He also provided business analysis of proposed legislation to help with lobbying and served on the negotiation team for bargaining labor contracts.

Myrna and Glen had two daughters, Capalene Howse and Brandy (Howse) Jonker-Burke and moved to a home they built in the village of DeWitt, also maintaining a place in Elk Rapids for half a century.

Glen enjoyed a lifetime love of fishing and after retirement in the early 2000s he began spending time between the East Bay and the Gulf Coast in Orange Beach, Alabama. Like many snowbirds, Glen and Myrna made fast friends down south. Exceptional to Glen, this included a circle of watermen, sailors, and fishermen who would become friends and co-conspirators over two decades of adventures. Alongside Brian Annan with Gulf Rebel Charters in Orange Beach, Glen worked the docks, cleaned fish, built traps and artificial reefs, and sponsored a charter fishing boat. He also loved spending time at the Flora-Bama bar, restaurant, music venue, and church, but to interject in Glen’s way of speaking, “we’re not going there” here in this obituary.

Back home in Michigan, he was active in his neighborhood along South Bayshore Drive. He undertook many adventures with his brothers in arms at the AMVETS, his ‘Thursday Club’ friends, and dear neighbors. He was ‘Caught being GOOD’ by the Elk Rapids News more times than being bad based on the published record of special projects he did with George Siwirski at Yuba School and students from Sunshine Academy.

Glen is survived by his daughters, Capalene Howse (Eric Gollannek) and Brandy Jonker-Burke (Sam ‘Dutch’ Jonker-Burke) and son Ron King (Kelly); grandchildren Isaac Jonker-Burke, Kai Tinsley, and Odin and Willem Gollannek; brothers John Keel, Ron Keel, Tom Howse, and Ray (Pam) Howse.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Myrna (Booth) Howse, his mother Grendolyn B. Keel-Place-Howse, adopted father Melvin F. Howse, and biological father Sylvester Maurice Place.

After his wife Myrna passed in December 2023, Glen found his own way at First Presbyterian Church and through adventures with Merry Okonoski who offered him affection, guidance, and companionship through his final months and hours.

His ultimate wish was to spend his last days at home and he spent those moments there doing what he loved: working on taxes at his familiar spot in front of the computer at the kitchen counter. He passed a few days later peacefully with loved ones by his side at Munson Hospital on March 12th.

A memorial ceremony with full military honors for him and his wife are planned for Saturday, May 23rd in Elk Rapids at the AMVETS. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the AMVETS or a charity of your choice in the family’s memory.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, Covell-Traverse City Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

www.beaconfh.com