Jack H. Howard

Jack was born on August 30, 1928 in St. Louis, MO and had one older sister, Pat. He and his sister grew up near Shaw Park in a large house in Gurney Court, and Jack would hop the fence into Shaw's Garden regularly. After the 8th grade, the family moved to Denver to an uncle's chinchilla and mink farm, where Jack stayed until he joined the Marine Corps, where he was stationed in Guam and Tiensien, China.

After the Marines, Jack moved back to St. Louis and went to night school at Ranken Technical School. He became a Master Maintenance Mechanic at Buckeye, International, where he worked for 37 years until he retired. In 1950, he married his first wife, Mary, and the couple had three children. Eight years after her death in 1996, he remarried his current wife, Debby.

Jack travelled extensively as an adult, including trips to Egypt, Walker's Cay (Bahamas), the Red Sea, Belize, and most major battlefields in the U.S. He enjoyed hunting, flying airplanes as a licensed private pilot, scuba diving (he was a Certified Master Diver), and sailing with friends in the Windward Islands. Additionally, he was in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and taught boating safety classes, and was a mentor and teacher to inner city kids through the Youth Learning Center. Jack also loved listening to classical music, savoring the taste of all things chocolate, and, most importantly, spending time with his family. There is no doubt that Jack's life was well-lived, and he will be remembered by his family and friends as a man who was easy-going, friendly, and funny.

Jack is the loving husband of Debby Howard (nee: Waite); devoted father of Thomas (Mary) Howard Patricia Howard, and Jack E. (Debbie) Howard; adoring grandfather of Jonathan, Evelyn, Benjamin, Jack L., Eric, and Emily Howard; and dear uncle, cousin, and friend to many. He is preceded in death by his parents, Pinkerton and Augusta Howard; and sister, Patricia Storch.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Jack's name to the Biome Charter School Foundation, 4471 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63108.