Howard Frank Sosbee

1923 - 2020

Howard Frank Sosbee
Oct. 12, 1923 - April 19, 2020
Scotts Valley
Howard Sosbee died at age 96 on April 19th, at home. While conscious he had bedside visits with his five children and the grandchildren who were able to reach him, events which provided great consolation to all. The family is also grateful to Santa Cruz Hospice for their compassionate care.
Howard was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, son of Gordon Sosbee and Helen (Boch) Sosbee. His earliest childhood was spent in Shreveport, Louisiana. During part of the Depression years he lived with his mother and siblings at the Sosbee grandparents farm in East Texas, while his father searched in Southern California for permanent work and home location. Howard had four siblings: Cecile (Besley), Helen (Moore), Michael and Robert, all now deceased.
Howard attended elementary schools in L.A., and graduated with honors in Mathematics from Alexander Hamilton High School. His education at U.C.L.A. was interrupted by WW II and enlistment in the U.S. Army Air Corps, (now titled U.S. Air Force).
Following Navigator training, he was assigned to the 10th Air Force, 82nd Bombardment squadron, China-Burma-India Theater (BCI), stationed in Eastern India. The squadron mission was flying B-25 Mitchells over the mountains and into Burma, to bomb Japanese communication links and bridges and halt the enemy's drive toward India. Howard served from 1944-46, and after VE Day was honorably discharged with the commission of Captain.
Post war years were eventful: he returned to Los Angeles, married fiancée Harriet Ryburn, and spent two years at U.C.L.A. to complete his B.S. degree in Business. His first professional position was at Prudential Insurance Western headquarters, where he worked for 10 years in Methods and Planning. The Howard Sosbee family lived in Redondo Beach, where children Dennis, Janet, and John spent their school years. Howard was a member of Riviera Methodist Church, taught Sunday School and helped plan the new sanctuary for the church.
Howard left Prudential to join Union Bank in L.A., as advertising manager. From this position onward Howard's career was specializing on marketing and promotion positions in banks and savings and loan associations located in California. He moved to Los Angeles following a divorce, but continued to prioritize parenting for Dennis, Janet and John.
In 1970 Howard married Roberta Russell. They lived in Los Angeles where their sons Paul and Joshua were born and Howard continued his career in marketing positions in financial organizations. In 1974 the Sosbee family moved to Santa Cruz County, settling in Scotts Valley and eventually purchasing acreage in the Santa Cruz Mountain foothills. Howard built their geodesic dome home, and he and Roberta raised Paul and Josh there. It is still the family home.
Howard was known for extensive volunteer activities, including building projects for Habitat for Humanity; driving veterans to Bay Area medical facilities for Santa Cruz Red Cross; as an assistant Scout Master for Boy Scout Troop 604 in Scotts Valley; and positions in his neighborhood road association.
He retired in 1985, continued volunteering, and pursued his interest in writing about political and cultural topics, sending letters to editors of Nation Magazine, Time Magazine, San Jose Mercury News and Santa Cruz Sentinel. The Sentinel published many letters from Howard and he enjoyed the feedback from county residents.
Condolences sent to Roberta and other family members often included the phrase "Howard was one of the finest men I have ever known" indicating a life well lived. Many friends have donated trees in his name to organizations such as Arbor Day Foundation.
In addition to wife Roberta and five children previously named, Howard is survived by treasured daughters-in-law Kathleen, Carolyn and Gretchen, plus seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
One bedside visit Howard had was with granddaughter Camila Sosbee Barrett, to whom he recited a poem he memorized in his youth, Abou Ben Adhem, by Leigh Hunt. To understand more of the heart of Howard Sosbee, see the poem at: poetryfoundation.org.


View the online memorial for Howard Frank Sosbee