Howard McDonell

1937 - 2025

Howard McDonell
07/26/1937 - 06/24/2025
Howard Archibald McDonell Jr. passed away at home on June 24th, 2025, at the age of 87.
Howard, aka "Poody," was husband and best friend to Nancee; father to Merin, Toby, and Nick; grandfather to Bailey, Riley, and Jensen; elder brother to Jan, Jill, Bob, and Christina; and father-in-law to Rusty, Gina, and Midori.
He was born in Los Angeles to Jean and Howard McDonell.
He attended Santa Monica City College, where he met Nancee. He then transferred to U.C. Santa Barbara where he majored in industrial arts and studied fine arts, discovering his natural artistic talent.
He and Nancee married in 1962 and moved to Northern California. He earned a teaching credential at San Jose State and taught industrial arts in Millbrae. He took a one-year sabbatical to study at the San Francisco Art Institute. He later transitioned into carpentry and oversaw the construction of fine homes on the Peninsula.
To the delight and dismay of all, Howard was a perfectionist and moved at his own pace. He was a master craftsman who could build or repair anything, and retained his strength and focus his entire life. After settling in San Mateo, Howard single-handedly built the second story of the home where they raised their three children. While he never climbed any corporate ladders, you couldn't keep him off a real one.
He loved surfing, skiing, hiking, camping in the High Sierras, geology, weather, the ocean, and had an incredible sense of direction.
After retiring, he focused on his own projects, helped his friends and family, volunteered, and enjoyed travelling, art, and music with Nancee. On a great trip to Scotland last year, he was able to visit the McDonell family castle.
His Catholic faith was a defining part of his life. Howard was always willing to help those in need.
He and Nancee were happily married for 62 years and were inseparable.
Poody was a truly unique person, and his presence will live on in the hearts of his loving family and all who knew him, and in the structures he built and the art he created.