Howard E. Sprout

Howard E. Sprout

BLOOMFIELD, Conn. - Howard E. Sprout, 77, of Bloomfield, died on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. He had been diagnosed at age 47 with metastatic prostate cancer, complications of which were the ultimate cause of death. Thanks to his proactive approach, indomitable spirit, and the skilled medical teams at Hartford HealthCare and the Connecticut VA, he thrived for most of those 30 years.

Howard was born in Muncy, Pa., to Joseph and Bernice (Wren) Sprout in 1947. He attended Oswayo Valley High School in Shinglehouse, Pa., followed by Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., from which he graduated with a BA in Music in 1969. Allegheny College was very dear to him, and he remained a devoted alum for his entire life.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served for two years stateside, followed by nine months of service in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged in 1972 and went on to enroll in Hartt College in West Hartford, obtaining an MA in Vocal Performance and an Artists Diploma in Opera in 1974.

For the next 35 years, he taught and performed regionally throughout New England and internationally. He was a frequent soloist of classical and pops repertoire with the Hartford Chorale, CONCORA, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and other regional musical ensembles.

Howard was a soloist at many Connecticut area churches, most notably at Westminster Presbyterian Church in West Hartford, where he was a member for over 25 years. He often sang at the Shinglehouse Baptist Church on trips home, and he and his brother, organist Joseph Ray Sprout of Portville, N.Y., sometimes collaborated on joint recitals to the delight of local audiences.

Howard's "day job" was in data processing for 20 years at Bank of America. He retired in 2005 due to the progression of his illness. In his personal life, Howard loved to travel with his wife, Karen, and daughter, Joanna. In retirement, Howard enjoyed an evening at the grill on his patio in the company of family and friends, most especially his "best friend," his dog Bruno. A great source of joy and pride in his later years was teaching with the UCONN Adult Learning Program, where he delivered classes on great classical composers.

Howard is survived by his wife of 44 years, Karen (Johnson) Sprout; his daughter, Joanna Sprout (Miriam) Engel of West Hartford, Conn.; his brother, Joseph Ray (Ruth) Sprout of Portville; and sister, Cynthia Sprout (Steven) Bell of Shinglehouse, Pa. He also leaves his grandchildren, Laura June and Evan Howard Engel; sister-in-law Kathryn Johnson; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial gifts in honor of Howard may be made to support the Allegheny College Choral Fund, either by check payable to Allegheny College, 520 N. Main St., Box 44, Meadville, PA 16335, or online at allegheny.edu/giving; or to The Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Development Department, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT 06106, or online at hartfordsymphony.org/support/individual-support/.

There will be a Celebration of Life at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Asylum Hill Congregational Church, 814 Asylum Ave, Hartford. The service will be live-streamed from the church at www.ahcc.org. To read the full obituary and for online condolences, visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.