Gerald "Joe" Alexander Howes

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Gerald Alexander Howes, Joe as we all knew him, on Friday March 4, 2022. He died peacefully at his residence in Calgary, surrounded by some of his family members.

Joe was predeceased by his parents, Edna and Alex, big brother Lyle and sister-in-law Dianne

(Lorne).

Joe is survived by his children, Pam of Calgary, Jerry (Susanne) of Peterborough, On., and Rod (Erin) of Hockley Valley, On.; brothers, Lorne of Calgary and Ron (Janet) of Picton, On.; nine grandchildren, Crystal, Lisa and Danny, Brittany, Derek and Monica, Shea, Shannon and Garret; seven great-grandchildren, as well as a handful of nieces and nephews.

Joe was born in the family farmhouse in Tichborne, Ont. July 17, 1934 and at a later date, 1937-38 moved to Kirkland Lake where he learned the game of hockey, and learned it well. Joe graduated KLCVI and went on to Ryerson where he graduated from the School of Business 1955 with a minor in surveying, which he used during the summer months when not playing hockey.

In 1956-57, Joe played for the Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL. He took the next year off and sailed away with his good pal, Walter Sarachman, to Australia and beyond for the next nine months. Upon his return he joined the Abitibi Eskimos of the NOHA Senior loop and then off to the Milwaukee Falcons of the IHL, with stops in Philadelphia, Johnstown, New Haven, Washington and Flint from 1959-61.

With his professional hockey career complete, Joe Settled and moved to “good old” Kirkland Lake and married Barbara Briden and had their three children.

Joe worked for Walter Little Transport (Dominion Consolidated) as a sales representative and was able to retrace his travels as a hockey player by calling on customers in northern Ontario. Joe was a staple in Kirkland Lake Minor Hockey while his sons played and he found time to play hockey with his pals on the Tilden Rent-a-car team as well as with his XKLers in his later years when he moved to Toronto.

Joe as per his final wishes, was cremated and did not want a service. He wished also to have his ashes spread over the old homestead in Tichborne as well as at the family plot in the Parham Cemetery.

A Celebration of Joe’s Life may be held at a later date, to be announced.