James Henry Howar Sr, 20 Dec 1927 - 13 Mar 2017

HOWAR, MASON, VANDERHORST, BOS, HOLLAND, FICKEL, SUMMA

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 3/24/2017 at 14:59:38

Funeral service for James H. Howar Sr., 89, Keswick, was held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 17, at the Holland-Coble Funeral Home, What Cheer. He died Monday, March 13, 2017, at the Oskaloosa Care Center.

Burial was in Forest Cemetery, Oskaloosa.

Memorial contributions may be made to the family.

Friends and family may sign the online guestbook at www.hollandcoblefuneralhomes.com.

James Henry Howar Sr. was born Dec. 20, 1927, in Sigourney, the son of Frank C. Howar and Clara Alice (Mason) Howar. Due to the war effort, at age 14, Jim drove the Gibson school bus. After graduating from Gibson High School in 1946 he joined the United States Army. He served with the infantry during the Japanese occupation and saw firsthand the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After his honorable discharge in 1948 he returned to Iowa.

Being a real “ace” on a pair of roller skates, he eventually met the love of his life at the Air Base skating rink in Ottumwa. He married Ruby Vander Horst on April 29, 1951, at her parents’ home in Oskaloosa. The couple settled in the Keswick area where they farmed with his parents. In 1954 the couple had their first of five children. Over the years, Jim continued growing his farming operation and supposedly retired in 1990. Immediately he decided retirement was not for him. He started working seasonal jobs for Kaiser until 1991 when he began working full time at American Color Graphics. Finally in 2002, at age 75 he decided to slow down and actually retire.

It goes without saying he saw value in honest hard work. Jim was never too busy to be a good husband and a great dad. He made each Christmas and every birthday better than the last. Jim made countless sacrifices to make his wife and all five children feel like they were the single most important person in the world, and to Jim they were. He enjoyed hosting hayrides, sledding parties, sleepovers and bonfires for his children and their friends. He had just as much fun teaching his kids how to hunt, fish and trap. As a father he showed his children the true values of life; to be good, honest and hard working.

After becoming a grandfather, Jim discovered a renewed sense of pride. At family gatherings, he often just sat back with a grin on his face knowing full well his family values were realized. To his neighbors, Jim was a man never too busy to lend a hand. But most importantly, he was a man that worked selflessly to honor his vows to God and to his wife.

His legacy will be cherished by his wife, Ruby Howar; three sons, Ken Howar, Keswick, Jim (Barb) Howar, Marengo, and Jeff (Connie) Howar, Rose Hill; and his two daughters, Kathy (John) Bos, Drakesville, and Barb (Curt) Holland, Keswick; 12 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Hazel Fickel and Mary Summa, and a grandson, Seth Howar.

Williamsburg Journal Tribune 22 Mar 2017 pg 5
The Gazette 15 March 2017 [abbreviated]