Osborn Howes

1923 - 2025

Osborn Howes
06/03/1923 - 08/18/2025
Osborn Howes
June 3, 1923 - August 18, 2025
Howes-Osborn "Oz". 1923-2025. Oz passed away on August 18th, at 102 years of age, in the company of his family. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Kenneth Howes and Edith Forbes (Perkins) Howes, residing at Chestnut Hill until attending Milton Academy and thereafter Harvard University. He joined the US Army Air Corp, assigned to the 357th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force, England, in 1944 as a P-51 Mustang pilot, receiving multiple decorations including the Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
After the World War he resumed studies at Harvard and Boston Universities (B.S 1952) and worked at State Street Trust Co., Boston. In 1951 he married Laura Bonnel Wick of Youngstown, Ohio spending their first year in Boston. They then strapped the skis on top of the Borgward station wagon moving to Seattle where he worked for Weyerhaeuser company. Subsequent moves included Bend, Oregon where he established the OZ Cattle Ranch and Portland, Oregon where he was a teacher and Asst. Head Master at Catlin Gable School, finally settling in Kentfield, California in 1964, teaching at Cathedral School for Boy's and then Larkspur School District (1966-1986). In 1972, he received an MAT in History at Dominican University, San Rafael. He was founder and president of the Wood River Ranch Co. Inc in Bellevue, Idaho near Sun Valley, where the family enjoyed many years of horseback riding, cattle drives, camping, fishing, hunting and skiing. He possessed a special skill with horses, originating when steeplechasing as a young man, and refined while ranching. He always had a well trained dog in the mix, a few notables being Pip the German Shepard and Nikko the Norfolk Terrier.
In later years he volunteered at the Humane Society in Novato and National Park Service's Morgan Horse Ranch in Pt. Reyes where he trained horses (1992-2011). He enjoyed membership in the National Cattlemen's Association, Queen's Club: British-American Officers WW II Pilots Group, and the Inverness Yacht Club. He loved reading, including the morning papers, keeping well informed on the stock market. He lived for a time at Smith Ranch Homes where his wife of 62 years, Laura Wick Howes predeceased him, and he remained active with friends and family including companion Mollie who joined him on occasional road trips including to the rodeo in Winnemucca, Nevada.
Favorite Compliment: "Well, he don't ride like no school teacher."
He leaves sons Peter and Samuel (Lani), daughter Laura "Molly" (Steven) along with grandchildren Maxwell, Avrey (Jackson), Osborn (Jessica), Nathaniel, Paola Andrea and great-grandchild Jedidiah.
Oz was a beloved patriarch and great story teller with extraordinary wit and captivating style much admired by his family, friends and students. The Greatest Generation was aptly named and we reflect with deep respect upon the last of that glorious era.
No service upon Oz's request. Memorial gifts may be sent to By the Bay Health https://bythebayhealth.org/donate-now/ .