Howard Heath Jr.

Howard was a native of Massachusetts, born in Brookline, spending his younger years in Allston, Brighton, and Arlington before his family settled in Needham where he was educated.

He attended Northeastern University, after high school, but that was interrupted when WWII broke out. He joined and served in the U.S. Army/Air Force in England and France during WWII as a Quartermaster on the supply side of the air war. This is where he met and married his wife, Iris in Nov. 1944. He was known for painting pictures and designs on the backs of many “flak -jackets” worn by bomber crew members flying over Germany.

After the war, with his natural talents and love for art and painting, he attended and received his formal art education from the “Massachusetts School of Art” and “Vesper George School of Art” in Boston.

He then worked in industry and art studios as a designer and illustrator for over 35 years.

With his desire to realize his creative potential, he participated in several workshops early in his career, “Portraiture with Robert Cormier” of Boston, “Water Color Techniques with Bill Ternes” from Sherborn, and “Figure Drawing with King Coffin” at the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln, Mass.

Howard, Iris and the growing family moved from Needham to Stoughton in 1955 where they lived until his retirement.

He enjoyed the outdoors immensely all his life, feeding birds and watching animals come and go, fishing, gardening, golf, listening to music, going on painting excursions, and spending time with family and friends. He was also a big fan of the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, the Bruins, the Celtics, and loved the guitar work of Eric Clapton and Keith Richards.

As an art Illustrator for General Dynamics and Raytheon, he created conceptual design paintings and drawings for many military and commercial applications. He was also affiliated with commercial art studios in greater Boston and Southeastern Massachusetts. Howard retired from Raytheon in 1989 and moved to Cape Cod in 1991 with Iris.

Using acrylics, oils and watercolors, he loved painting portraits, and the natural landscapes and seascapes of Cape Cod, with varying degrees of realism and impressionism.

Professionally, Howard has been a member of, and/or exhibited his work with, the “Cape Cod Art Association”, “The Chatham Creative Arts Center”, “The Yarmouth Art Guild”, “The Museum of Fine Arts” in Dennis, ”The American Society of Marine Artists-12th National Exhibition-2001” and was also a member of “The Oil Painters of America”. He has been recognized with awards and honors from these, as well as the “Latham Foundation”, and “The North Light and Artists” magazine. Howard’s paintings appear in many private collections, both here and abroad.

He will be forever missed by his family and friends.

Husband of the late Iris M. (Smith) Heath and father of the late Robert W. Heath, Howard is survived by son - David and Denise Heath of Centerville, MA, son & daughter - William Heath and Deborah (Heath) Gardner of Norton, MA, and her companion Leonard Campbell, daughter-in-law Lucille of Vista, CA, grandchildren & great-grandchildren, Nate and Heather (Heath) Steiger of Vista, CA (and great-grandchildren Madison and Hudson), Jeremy Heath and Rachel of Somerset, CA (and great-grandchildren Ethan, Joshua and Jonah), Christian and Kerry Montz of Rio Rancho, N.M. (and great-grandchild Alexis and her fiancée, Jeremy, of Nashville, TN). Howard was the brother of the late Robert M. Heath and is survived by Robert’s wife Winifred of Yarmouth, their children-daughter Carolyn (Heath) and Rick Sledzik of Brockton and their extended families, and son, Christopher of Yarmouth.

A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, September 30, 2022 from 9:30-11:30 AM at the Doane, Beal, & Ames Funeral Home, 160 West Main St., Hyannis. A brief prayer service will be conducted at 11:30 AM followed by burial with military honors at the MA National Cemetery in Bourne.

Flowers are welcome or you might consider a donation to the National Scleroderma Foundation, 300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 105, Danvers, MA 01923, The American Cancer Society, or the Veteran’s Administration.