Charles Jarrett Howell

HOWELL JERRY HOWELL Charles Jarrett "Jerry" McPherson Howell died suddenly in Alexandria, VA on September 1, 2013. Jerry was the son of Winifred Harward Howell of Easton, Maryland and the late Edgar McPherson Howell. Jerry is survived by his wife, Katie; daughter, Bethany (Alan) Pultz; son, William Taylor; and his grandsons, Alan McPherson "Mac" and Robert Lee Pultz of Newport News, Virginia. In addition, he is survived by his sister, Harriet Howell Custer of Anacortes, Washington and his brother, Edgar McPherson "Pete" Howell of Sacramento, California. He lived for thirty years in Alexandria, Virginia. Jerry was born in Washington, DC on December 11, 1951, and graduated from St. Stephens School in 1970, where he lettered in four sports each year of his high school career, while maintaining an excellent academic record. He graduated with a B.A. degree from William and Mary College in 1974. After teaching and coaching at schools in Alexandria, Yorktown and Williamsburg, Virginia, and in Fairbault, Minnesota, in 1982 Jerry was hired by his alma mater, St. Stephen's (now St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School [SSSAS]) to teach physical education at the lower and middle schools and to work as an assistant coach in the upper school. Jerry is best known as "Coach Howell." During his thirty years at SSSAS, he served as head or assistant varsity coach for football, boys' and girls' basketball, baseball, hockey, co-ed golf, track and girls' lacrosse. The success of Jerry's teams is a testament to a brilliant coaching career; two national championships, six state championships, ten IAC championships and eight ISL championships. In addition, Jerry was named Coach of the Year in two sports. This success, however, was not hat motivated him - what he cared about was his "kids" and their achievements, academic as well as athletic, resulting in considerable achievements of many of his student athletes throughout his coaching career. Jerry's success is the result of his philosophy of coaching - that student athletes are students first and that they grow and develop as individuals and as team members through sport. For him - and this is what made him an extraordinary coach and teacher - coaching was all about the students, never about the coach. His athletes won because he loved them and taught them to work together, to achieve at their highest levels, and to be better people - and they loved him in return. "Coach Howell's" legacy is the honor, integrity, humor and intelligence which his student athletes carry forward into their professional, community and personal lives. A memorial service for Jerry will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Russell Rd., Alexandria, VA on Saturday, September 7 at 11 a.m.; a reception will follow at the church. Visitation will be Friday, September 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Demaine Funeral Home, Washington St., Alexandria. In lieu of flowers, his family requests donations to St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School for scholarship funding in memory of Jerry Howell.