Howard Clement Bezold

Howard Clement Bezold, 100, of Fort Thomas, KY passed away peacefully on December 12, 2024 surrounded by his loving family at his home. He was born on October 6, 1924 to Clemence and Clara (nee Rust) Bezold in Newport, KY the third oldest of seven children.
Howard was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Rita Schweitzer and Luella Harris, and brother, Russell Bezold. Howard is survived by his loving wife of 71 years, Lucille Schuh Bezold; daughters Ann (Kirk) MacKenzie, Rosemary (Tim) Reynolds, Jane (Tom) Blake; sons, Neal (Patty) Bezold, Donald (Jamie) Bezold, Luke (Connie) Bezold, Martin (Karen) Bezold, Jeffery (Holly) Bezold; 26 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, his sister, Juanita Massaron, and his brothers, Eugene Bezold and Raymond Bezold.
After graduating from Newport High School in 1942, Howard entered the US Armed Forces during the height of World War II. He proudly served his country as a member of Army Air Force (when the Air Force was still a branch of US Army) his unit deployed to the Philippines and other islands in the South Pacific. After the war, Howard took advantage of the GI bill to earn his bachelor's degree in accounting from Xavier University, and worked for a number of different companies in the Greater Cincinnati area in his long career as an accountant. He supplemented his income by being a tax preparer with H & R Block, providing excellent service to his clients for over 50 years by working well into his 80s.
Howard was a gentle, patient, kind, and generous man, whose greatest joy was being of service to others, most notably as a wonderful father to eight children, and a loving and faithful husband to Lucille, but also as someone you could always count on as a brother, uncle, grandfather, cousin, father-in-law, friend, co-worker, neighbor, and fellow parishioner.
Howard's guiding light throughout his life was his deep devotion to his Roman Catholic faith. He lived his faith each day and served as an example to his children, grandchildren, and all who crossed his path. He was a longtime member of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Ft. Thomas, and was able to serve the parish using his knowledge and experience in accounting. Howard's dedication to his Christian principles was evidenced by how he consistently treated others with love, kindness, respect, and graciousness. His faith served him especially well as he bore the deterioration of his health in his final years with amazing patience, dignity, and courage. In doing so he was an inspiration to his children and wife who took such loving care of him on this last and difficult leg of his life's journey. Howard greatly appreciated their efforts, and true to his deeply embedded spirit of gratitude, he never failed to thank them each day.
A Memorial Mass will be held 10:00 am Friday, December 27, 2024, at St. Catherine of Siena Church, Fort Thomas, KY, with a reception immediately following in the hall underneath the church.
Memorial donations can be made to the St. Bernard Food Pantry (401 Berry St. Dayton, KY 41074) or St. Catherine of Siena Church (1803 N. Ft. Thomas Ave. Ft. Thomas, KY 41075).