Dr. Howard Fugate Jr.

Howard was born on October 5, 1925 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Howard Fugate, Sr., and Sarah Kathryn (Kethledge) Fugate.

He attended Sykesville High School graduating in 1943 with high honors, lettered in three sports for four years and played the trumpet in the band. He was an Eagle Scout and a Rhodes Scholar. He continued his education at the Pennsylvania State University playing on the football team and played the trumpet in the Blue Band. His education was interrupted by World War II at which time he enlisted in the United States Navy: serving as a Pharmacists Mate Second Class from 1944 to 1946. Following an Honorable Discharge he married the love of his life, Elaine Louise Smyers, in San Diego, California, on December 9, 1944. Together they settled in State College, PA so Howard could complete his education at the Pennsylvania State University and graduated in 1948. He then continued his education at Thomas Jefferson Medical College, graduating in 1952 as a family doctor.

Dr. Fugate’s medical practice began in Moorestown, NJ., serving as a family physician from 1952 to 1969. While he lived there he served as a doctor on call for the local police, the high school football team’s doctor and was a member of the Kiwanis Club and the First Presbyterian Church of Moorestown. He was on the staff of the Pennsylvania Hospital and Thomas Jefferson Hospital of Philadelphia, PA. He then became a doctor of Internal Medicine and moved to Punxsutawney in 1969 followed by a move to DuBois in 1971. While practicing medicine in the DuBois Area he served both the DuBois and Maple Avenue Hospitals.

He was a medical pioneer by introducing new techniques such as the insulin pump in a patient, cardiac stress testing, echo cardiography rehabilitation and cardiac care. In addition, he was the founder and director of the “Cardiac Kids” which was designed to promote activities and exercises for patients that have heart disease. This was a dream for his patients that culminated in the writing of his book entitled, “The Road to a Healthy Heart: Cardiac Rehabilitation”. He was also instrumental in establishing the neo-natal cardiac, ICU and the neo-natal echo cardiography at Maple Avenue Hospital in DuBois.

Later in his medical career he served as president of the Pennsylvania Society of Internal Medicine. Throughout his career he received numerous awards for his medical achievements. He was well loved and called “Doc” by everyone.

Howard became the father of five children; Kathleen (Fugate) Messinger and her husband Gary of Slate Run, Dr. Jeffrey S. Fugate and his wife Gayle of Mechanicsburg, Dr. Howard Fugate III and his wife Annette of DuBois, Dr. Kenneth K. Fugate and his wife Carol of Punxsutawney and Rev. Robert H. Fugate and his wife Cheryl of Mexico. God continued to bless him with sixteen grandchildren, thirty-four great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. He and Elaine celebrated sixty-three years of marriage together before Elaine went home to be with the Lord on November 29, 2008. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and a brother, James K. Fugate.

Howard’s first love was his faith in God, followed by love of his family, medicine and Penn State Football of which he was a faithful fan.

He was a member of the DuBois Alliance Church and was a man of great faith, accepting Christ as his Savior and sharing his faith with all. His favorite chapter in the Bible was the love chapter; I Corinthians 13 which he quoted many times.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, July 18, 2016 at the DuBois Alliance Church with Rev. Robert H. Fugate, Rev. Gary R. Messinger and Rev. Timothy Shutes co-officiating. Interment will follow in Beulah Cemetery, Reynoldsville with full military honors being accorded by the DuBois Area Honor Guard.

Friends will be received on Sunday, July 17, 2016 from 4 to 7:00 PM at the Mohney-Yargar Funeral Chapel, Inc., 142 West Long Ave., DuBois, PA 15801 and on Monday at the church from 10:00 AM until the hour of services.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorial contributions go to support his son’s missionary ministry in Mexico and his daughter’s church in Cedar Run, PA. Checks can be made payable to the Cedar Run Baptist Church and mailed to Kathy Messinger, PO Box 76, Slate Run, PA 17769.

To send online tributes go to www.mohneyyargarfuneralchapel.com or www.mem.com