James Mark Howland

On Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021, James Mark Howland of Dewitt left this earth for his next great adventure surrounded by his loving wife Kathy and children after an unwavering, hard-fought 15-month battle with lymphoma. Jim spent 65 years making the most out of every day in his journey - working hard, seeking adventure, helping others, and loving his family. He was a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, VW enthusiast, avid cycler, world traveler, and happy camper.

Jim was born on July 28th, 1955 in Lansing, MI and called the greater Lansing area his home his entire life. However, he and his wife Kathy (Kathrynn Ferguson) were often on the road in one of their VW buses, eager to get their toes in the sand somewhere warm. Grand Haven, Pentwater, Key West, and St. John’s were some of Jim’s favorite destinations. But for him it was always about the journey.

Much of that journey was on two-wheels, riding his bikes any chance he had. From mountain biking to road cycling – even a unicycle – Jim felt freedom on a bike. For 34 years he annually rode DALMAC from Lansing to the Mackinac Bridge and made many friends along the way. Many times, that trek was on a tandem with Kathy, taking on the challenge together and churning out “Miles of Smiles.”

When he was home between adventures, he always kept busy. Jim worked for the Lansing Board of Water & Light for over 31 years, retiring in 2016. In between his shifts at the Eckert Power Plant you could find him in the garage working on some kind of project. From home repairs to woodworking to drawing, Jim could do it all, but he had a special passion for cars. He personally restored 5 vintage Volkswagens, ranging from a 1965 Single Cab to a 1995 EuroVan, with buses and beetles in between. Aside from the VW’s, he was happy to help friends and family whenever they needed a quick repair.

Jim’s family meant everything to him and will be his lasting legacy. He is survived by his 3 siblings – brother Bob Howland, and sisters Mary Taylor and Kathy Coryell. Jim’s 6 children – Scott Howland and wife Jennifer, Lisa and husband Shawn Farzam, Kellie and husband Kevin Hagan, Jacob Haman and wife Stephanie, Chris Haman and wife Tosha, and Nick Haman - look forward to carrying on the tradition of “family camp” that Jim started. Every summer he would book the campsites, plan the meals, and pack the supplies, all to create special memories with his family on the shores of Lake Michigan. Over the years, family camp would grow to include 18 grandchildren, extended family, and friends. Jim loved watching the sun set into the water from the beach and shared that with his family. He would often tell them “I love you more than all the water in Lake Michigan…”

Jim let his faith in Jesus guide him and used his teachings to live as an example to others.

He was able to make strong connections with perfect strangers and easily made friends wherever he went. He always saw the best in people and believed in their potential. And he was always willing to help at the drop of a hat. He used his talents to serve others in his daily life, and he was a great teacher with a ton of patience. In 2017 he had a chance to go on a mission trip with Back2Back Ministries through Riverview Church to Mazatlán, Mexico. While there he worked to build and repair schools and housing in the village. On breaks, he would play soccer and other games with the children. Even though they didn’t speak the same language, he felt a connection to those children and the mission trip had a strong impact on his faith. So much so that he returned to help again in 2018.

To honor Jim’s memory, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to support the children of Mazatlán through Back2Back Ministries (https://donations.back2back.org/Other/Jim-Howland-Gift.html or P.O. Box 70, Mason, OH 45040). The family welcomes everyone to a viewing at the Gorsline Runciman Funeral Home in downtown Dewitt this Sunday, March 7th between 12pm-2pm and 4pm-6pm. A service will be held at 11am on Monday, March 8th at Northpointe Church in Dewitt for those interested in attending. Jim’s wish was to have one big party – a “Celebration of Life”- with all those that loved him. The details for this event are being planned for April 24th, so please save the date and more details will be shared when finalized.