Stephen W. Howe

Stephen Wellington Howe, of Marblehead, admirably served many community interests across New England throughout his 85 year life. He died peacefully on August 4, 2010 in Boston. Steve was born on May 16, 1925 at Union Hospital in Lynn Massachusetts. His parents were the late George Wilson Howe and Ruth Searles Howe. His childhood home in Swampscott continues to be occupied by his sister-in-law Nancy. He spent most childhood summers as a camper and counselor in Sebago, ME at Camp O-AT-KA, where he later served as a board member.

Steve graduated from Swampscott High School in 1942, Philips Exeter Academy in 1943, Harvard College in 1950 and Harvard Law School in 1953. Less than four months after graduating from Exeter and at the age of 18, Steve was flying in B17 bombers in the Pacific as a member of the United States Army Air Force during World War II. He was stationed in the Philippines from 1943 to 1946. His military service continued a family tradition: his father rode a horse as a major and commander of a U.S. Army cavalry regiment in World War I. His father volunteered to lead this regiment, which included all African-American troops. Steve’s paternal grandfather actually served as a member of the Union forces during the U.S. Civil War. Upholding this longstanding family tradition of military service to our nation was always important to Steve.

In 1955 and two years after his law school graduation, Steve joined the Boston law firm of Dane Howe & Brown. The firm’s managing partner at that time was also a Harvard Law School graduate: George W. Howe, Steve’s father. In 1965 Steve became the firm’s managing partner, a position he actively held for 45 years until his death this month. His passion for the law and for providing counsel to individuals never waned in the least.

Among Steve’s passions was his commitment to local community service. As the Town Moderator for Marblehead, he was elected to 43 consecutive one-year terms. He truly relished the opportunity to lead his fellow townspeople in the purest form of democracy in America: the town meeting. His sons at young ages would proudly and excitedly huddle around the kitchen AM radio to hear his voice on WESX as he declared “it is a vote and the motion carries” so many times.

Steve was also committed to serving his church community. In addition to being very active with St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Marblehead, Steve served for over 10 years as Chancellor of the Diocese of the Episcopal Church of New England. This role required countless hours and provided an important service to his church community. After five years work, in 1997 he argued and won a landmark case before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on behalf of the congregation of the Church of the Advent which protected parishioners’ voting rights.

Steve excelled in athletics. He was a tri-sport varsity athlete at Harvard: football, hockey and baseball. He partially funded his law school education by playing semi-professional baseball in Canada during those summers. But his truest love in sports was hockey. He played actively until the age of 75, competing in numerous Senior Olympic hockey events. He refereed literally thousands of college hockey games, all over New England. And he stubbornly and effectively used his poke-check against youthful players on his beloved Black Joe’s Pond adjacent to his house on Gingerbread Hill.

Like many Marbleheaders, Steve developed a love for being on the water, especially for sailing and lobstering. He skippered many one-design races off Tinker’s Island and completed several offshore races including Marblehead-to-Halifax and Newport-to-Bermuda. He adored his 17 foot lobster boat, aptly named Desire, which was built in 1947 on Pond Street and moored in Barnegat Cove, just steps away from his house. For decades he pulled lobster pots in the waters off Priests Island, Browns Island and Peach’s Point. Lobstering with Steve (attired in his favorite tattered Bruins jersey) was its own unique theater-form which was frequently enjoyed by his wife, children and grandchildren (one of whom now actively fishes for lobster in those same waters).

Steve infected so many people with his character traits: decency, selflessness, honesty and persistence. His legacy includes having cared for, and positively influenced, thousands of people. He remains adored by his family including wife Judy, sons George, Peter and David; stepchildren Paul, Ann and Meg; seven grandchildren Stephen, James, Wells, Camden, Ritchey, Campbell and Gardner; and five step-grandchildren Jack, Devin, Annie, Tommy and Henry. His real ‘survivors’ and legacy bearers include countless more throughout New England; and beyond.

On Saturday August 14th at 11:00 am there will be a memorial service to celebrate Steve’s life at St Michael’s Episcopal Church, 26 Pleasant Street in Marblehead.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Camp O-AT-KA, P.O. Box 239, Sebago, ME 04029 or the Bud Orne Memorial Rink, c/o National Grand Bank, 91 Pleasant Street, Marblehead, MA 01945 or the Ellison 9 Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital Development Office, 165 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02144. Arrangements by the Eustis and Cornell Funeral Home, Marblehead.