Edward L. Howard

On August 4, 2012, Edward L. Howard, Jr., 78, of Owendale, went home to be with his Lord and Savior.
Ed was born September 20, 1933 in Oak Hill, Ohio to Edward, Sr. and Mira Howard. He moved to Owendale with his family when he was six. After graduating from Owendale High School, he served in the Air Force as a communications specialist (1953 - 1957). He married the love of his life, Shirley I. Knowlton in 1954.
Ed was employed at Hamill Manufacturing, working his way up from sewing machine repairman to managing both factories in Bad Axe and Ubly until 1981 when they closed. He also managed Thumb Plastics for a short time before moving to Howell where he was the caretaker for the Nazarene Eastern Michigan District Campground for 11 years.
After retiring in 1996, Ed and Shirley took a 7-week cross-country trip with their special friends, Martin and Joann Cottle. They settled back in Owendale.
Ed was a handyman in the truest sense of the word. He mastered just about anything he put his mind to like carpentry, masonry, plumbing and electrical work. He taught himself the guitar and played and sang with Shirley and sisters, Fern and Jean, in the church as the Howard Quartet. Ed also loved working outside in his yard and garden, playing games with his family and friends and being with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Ed was a member of the Gagetown Church of the Nazarene for 54 years. He served on the church board, as Sunday School Superintendent, church treasurer, president of the youth group and teacher. He was well-known in the community as a man of faith and often gave the invocation at events such as the Owen-Gage All School Reunion and Memorial Day services at Grant Cemetery.
Ed was a patient, loving, kind, sweet and gentle man, and loved by all who knew him. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Shirley; sons Randall (Pamela) of Owendale, Thomas (Rebecca) of Cass City; daughters Sandra (Sam) Smith of Mount Airy, Maryland and Becky (Mike) Lyon of Bad Axe; grandchildren Jill (Patrick) Stasiak, Julie (Jon) Kurzer, Jaclyn Diaz, Lauren and Michael Howard; step-grandchildren, Matthew (Krista), Michael and Max Smith; great-grandchildren Jackson and Ally "Sweetheart" Stasiak; sisters Marguarite Hough, Jean Putman, Fern VanSickle and Hazel Good; brothers-in-law Cedric (Mabel) Knowlton and John (Pamela) Knowlton; sister-in-law Susan Knowlton; many nieces and nephews that loved him dearly; and special friends Martin and Joann Cottle and Bill and Judy Britt.
Ed was predeceased by his parents; parents-in-law Cedric and Irene Knowlton; sisters Alberta Bach and Georgia Pavlichek; brother Paul Howard; brothers-in-law Alfred Bach, Paul Pavlichek, William Putman, Mike Pavlichek, Leslie VanSickle, Pete Blettle, Albert Hoffman, George Hough and Ronald Good; and sister-in-law Janice Wideman.
The Funeral Service will be conducted at 12:00 noon on Monday, August 6, 2012 at the Gagetown Church of the Nazarene, with Rev. Kyle Boils, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Grant Township Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Don Hoffman, Larry Pavlichek, Brian McLaren, Dennis Pavlichek, Bruch Bach, and Dave Good.
Memorials may be made to Gagetown Church of the Nazarene.

VISITATION AT MEYERSIECK-BUSSEMA FUNERAL HOME, PIGEON:
Sunday, August 5 1:30 - 9:00 p.m.
AND AT GAGETOWN CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE:
Monday, August 6 11:00 a.m. until the service at 12 noon