Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Howard, William Henry 1932
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Marilyn Ransom mransom311@gmail.com June 1, 2015, 8:11 pm

The Ionia Sentinel-Standard, Wednesday, October 19, 1932


Just as his ninety-first birthday anniversary was less than one month away, 
William Henry Howard of Berlin, died unexpectedly at his home shortly after 
midnight Wednesday morning.  For a man of his years he was exceedingly active, 
and had been about doing some of the daily chores at the (….portion illegible…) 
night, and sat up later than usual reading a political address, going to bed 
after stating that his eyes were getting tired and that he would finish reading 
the article in the morning.  His son, Burton J. Howard, of Washington, D. C., 
and family are visiting at the home and while some of the adults in the 
household were up with the children who were ill, they heard Mr. Howard having 
difficulty in breathing.  They called a physician, but Mr. Howard was dead 
before he arrived.

There are but few people who had been affiliated with one church as long as 
he.  He became a regular attendance in the Methodist Episcopal Sunday school 84 
years ago walking back and forth a distance of four miles.  At the age of 13 he 
became a regular church communicant.  His attendance at this church really 
dates back nearly 90 years ago for as an infant he was often taken to the 
services by his parents.  When he first started to attend Sunday school 
regularly there was not church building, and he could recall when the first 
edifice of his faith was built in 1859, with old wooden benches placed on each 
side of the room, the men being seated on one side and the women on the other.  
Previous to that date he was among the worshipers who gathered in the homes, 
where ministrations were by the circuit riders.

It was in one of the church services early in his life that he met Helen 
Butler, who later came his wife.  They were married in 1871, and lived for a 
time in the log house that belonged to his father.  Mrs. Howard died in 1922.

During his lifetime he had served on the church board for nearly 56 years.

After living a few years in the little log house Mr. Howard built the large 
one.  It was in this home that his family of six children were reared, Burton 
J. Howard and Perry Howard of Washington, D C.; Miss Janetta Howard, at home; 
Fred B. Howard, of Berlin, Mrs. Clara Harper, of Middleville, and Miss Harriet 
Howard, of Evanston, Ill., all surviving.  He also leaves 10 grandchildren and 
five great-grandchildren.

Mr. Howard’s father, Joseph Howard, was a native of England, and his mother a 
native of New York.  The couple were married in Avon, N.Y. and came to Berlin 
township when the son William Henry, the last of the father’s family, was but 
eight years of age.  The farm descended to Mr. Howard and, for 90 years had 
made it his home, and where he would have celebrated his ninety-first birthday 
anniversary November 12.

Six days a week found him busy tilling the soil, and the seventh day almost 
without exception found him at the church services.  His memory as a pioneer in 
the community, the life he led, and the example that he set for others, is one 
that is rich with the honor and respect of the entire vicinity.

Funeral services will be conducted at the home Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock, 
the official board of the Methodist Episcopal church acting as honorary 
bearers, and pastors of Methodist Episcopal church the active bearers.  Rev. M. 
W. Duffey, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, assisted by Rev. W. E. 
Doty, of Jackson, an intimate of the family, and Rev. W. F. Kendrick, of 
Kalamazoo, will officiate.  Burial will be in the Balcom cemetery.



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