Wayne Lewis Howard

Wayne Lewis Howard, 90, of Philomath, OR, passed away at his home on July 21, 2023. Wayne was born in Decatur, Arkansas, on April 29th, 1933, to Jay and Ina (Willert) Howard, the third of four children. In 1934 due to the depression, the family left Arkansas. Wayne’s grandparents, Dad, sister Wilma, and brother Jess loaded up their Model A and drove to California. A one-year-old Wayne and his mother traveled by train after the rest of the family got settled. The Howard’s lived and worked on several different farms and ranches in the Ventura and Ojai area. Brother Frank was born later in California. At the age of five, Wayne had his first job weeding the garden and selling produce at a roadside stand for Guy Bright, the owner of the farm that the family was living on in Casitas Springs, CA. Mr. Bright took Wayne fishing for the first time, and Wayne never forgot how much he enjoyed that fishing trip. That trip led to a life-time enjoyment of hunting, fishing, and camping trips with family and a group of wonderful friends. Wayne also worked at a bowling alley as a young boy. He could hardly remove the rack once he set the pins. Wayne helped his dad build the first couple of houses they lived in before moving to Philomath in 1947. The family never stayed in one place very long. Wayne did not like all the moving and said that when he had his own place he would never move again. He lived in his home south of Philomath for 67 years. Wayne’s parents bought a small dairy farm on Woods Creek Road west of Philomath in 1947. Wayne learned to make hay and milk cows. While in high school, he also worked for Lou Bevandich at Philomath Hardware helping Lou install pumps for wells. Wayne graduated from Philomath High School in 1950 at the age of 17. He then joined the Air Force. After a year of training in Denver and Wichita Falls, he ended up at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and worked on the beginning of the guided missile program. The first computers used in the program filled a whole room. In 1955 he married Beverly Ann Cagle, and he began building houses with his dad in the Philomath area. Over his career Wayne built over 150 homes. One on Steens Mountain for Rex Clemens, and one in Idaho on the Salmon River for George Shroyer. He also completed numerous local mill projects, flat car bridges, shops, and barns. Wayne helped lead volunteers in the building of the Philomath Public Library, the Philomath High School football grandstands, the PHS Forestry building, and the baseball lights on the boys’ varsity field. He also served on the Philomath School Board and was a Director on the Clemens Foundation Board. Sports were an important part of Wayne’s life. He played tennis as a boy in California. In high school he excelled in football, basketball, and baseball. When he was in the Air Force, he played on military teams that traveled around Florida, Georgia, and Texas, competing against college teams such as Florida and Florida State. He scored 50 points in one of those basketball games. When he was back in Philomath, Wayne bowled in Corvallis leagues, played competitive badminton, played city league softball, and city league basketball, leading the league in scoring one year, and acquiring the nickname “Hack.” Wayne also raised beef cattle for 30 years. Bailing and hauling hay every summer was a family event and is where all his seven grandchildren learned to drive. Wayne and Bev raised three boys; Kim (Linda), Kelly (Lisa) and Kevin. They have seven grandchildren; Ethan (Jacqueline) Howard, Bethany (Aaron) Dilla, Kierstin (Sean) Rowley, Annalise (Anthony) Grossnicklaus, Carson Howard, Joceline (Jeremy) Aucoin and Cameron Howard; and eleven great grandchildren. Wayne was preceded in death by his wife, Beverly; his parents, Jay, and Ina; his sister, Wilma Avery; and his brothers Jess and Frank. In lieu of flowers please donate to Philomath Youth Activities Club, (pyac.net); Philomath Food Bank (P.O. Box 1334, Philomath, OR 97370) or the Philomath Community Foundation, or Hospice. The family wishes to thank Signature Hospice’s Nicole, Ken, Sandy (Chaplin), Patty, Tim and Diane. Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life, Saturday, August 19, 2023 from 11:00 am -2:00 pm, with Military Honors at Noon at Mary’s River Park, 300 S 11th St, Philomath. Wayne will be interred privately. Please share your thoughts and memories for the family at www.mchenryfuneralhome.com.

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Wayne Lewis Howard

April 29, 1933 - July 21, 2023