Dr. Howard Russell Searight

1925 - 2016

Dr. Howard Russell Searight, 91

MUNCIE - Dr. Howard Russell Searight, 91, of Muncie, passed away Monday, June 20, 2016 at St. Vincent Hospital, Anderson.

Dr. Searight was born on January 4, 1925, the oldest son to H. Russell and Mildred Searight in Iowa City, IA. In 1943, he graduated from Wheaton High School, Wheaton, IL and was immediately drafted into the United States Air Force. During World War II, he served in the Pacific Theater on B-29 missions during the Battle of the Marianas and in Tokyo. After he was discharged in 1946, he received both his B.S. and M.D. degrees in 1953 on the G.I. bill from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois College of Medicine, respectively.

Dr. Searight began his medical career interning at Cook County Hospital for one year and he completed a one year General Surgery Residency at MacNeal Memorial Hospital in Berwyn, IL. From 1955-1961, he practiced Family Medicine in Galena, IL.

From 1961-1964, he was a resident in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN. After completing his residency, Dr. Searight and his family moved to Muncie, IN where he practiced Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery for thirty years, retiring in 1994. He was Board Certified as a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He was a member of the Delaware/Blackford County Medical Society, the Indiana State Medical Association and the American Medical Association. He also served as an adjunct professor at Ball State University.

Dr. Searight was a beloved brother, husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather. On May 9, 1953, he married Sylvia Dalton and they were married for sixty-three years. They have four children, H. Russell Searight (wife, Barbara Searight), Sault Ste. Marie, MI, Mark Searight (wife, Julie Searight), La Jolla, CA, Timothy Searight (wife, Rupa Goswami), South Pasadena, CA, Christine Searight Francis (husband, Gavin Francis), Arlington, VA . They have six grandchildren, Zachary Searight, Brigid Searight, Samuel Searight, Logan Francis, Kumar Searight, and Luxmi Searight. Howard has two siblings, Edward Searight, Harvard, MA, and William Searight (wife, Barbara Searight), Ocala, FL.

He was preceded in death by his parents, H. Russell and Mildred Searight; his sister-in-law, Celia Searight; his brother, James Searight and granddaughter, Alicia Searight.

Dr. Searight loved sports and played basketball, baseball and football in high school. He was an avid tennis player and golfer. He enjoyed gardening, bird watching, reading and international travel adventures. In his later years, he liked to spend his mornings having breakfast at Bruner's and the 12th Street Café.

For more than forty years, he was an active member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 1707 East 26th Street, Muncie, IN. Burial will follow in Elm Ridge Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 24, 2016 at the Meeks Mortuary and Crematory, Washington Street Chapel.

Donations can be made to St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 1707 East 26th Street, Muncie, IN and the Youth Opportunities Center, 3700 W Kilgore Avenue, Muncie, IN.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.meeksmortuary.com