1926
Howard
2018
Howard Ernest Mowry, Jr.
June 16, 1926 — May 4, 2018
Howard Ernest Mowry Jr., 91, of Lynchburg, died Friday, May 4, 2018, at Westminster-Canterbury.
Howard, nicknamed “Sonny” by his parents Clara Lawton and Howard Ernest Mowry Sr. was born on June 16, 1926, in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended Laurel Hill Avenue Elementary School, Oliver Hazard Perry Jr. High and Mt. Pleasant High School, was a member of Plainfield Baptist church, and was a proud alumnus of Bryant University.
Howard enlisted at 17 in the Army Air Corps in 1943, and on November 28, 1944, they called him up to serve. Following Boot Camp in Biloxi Mississippi, he completed Airplane Mechanic and Flight Engineer training, and was then transferred to McDill AFB in Tampa FL where he worked as an airplane mechanic. He served out his time in WWII at the Horsching Air Base in Lintz, Austria. He was with the 79th Squadron, P47 Fighters and earned promotions from PFC to Corporal to Buck Sergeant. Howard returned home in August 1946 to Fort Dix after serving for 21 months, and always credited the G.I. Bill for his education at Bryant University where he graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration.
After serving his country, Howard started working for ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Company) as a salesman, eventually working to own his own gas stations on either side of Route 24 near Raynham, Massachusetts. He started the Hanson Porcelain Company and relocated the business from Massachusetts to John Capron Road in Lynchburg in 1966. He sold the business in 1976 but stayed on as President and CEO until 1980.
Howard started the building and development firm Long Meadows Inc. in 1976, building single family homes on the Historic Long Meadows Farm in Sandusky (now Falwell Homestead). He built and developed many subdivisions from Roanoke to Lynchburg from 1976-1996.
Howard was married for well over 50 years to three amazing women: Constance Pray, Carol Kapinos and Eleanor Judd, and was a wonderful father to his five children. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Christopher Scott and Dianne (Short) Mowry of Lynchburg, a son, Jeffery H. Mowry of Hartford, CT, and daughter and son-in-law, Susan Lynn (Mowry) and Victor DeCapua of East Windsor, CT. He was pre-deceased by his sons, David and Thomas. Lastly, he was loved and looked up to by his grandchildren and step-grandchildren Catherine, Bennett, William, Philip, Bill and Steven.
Howard loved to read and analyze business related subjects, followed many sports, mainly golf, tennis and football (Miami Dolphins fan). He loved to travel to Hilton Head Island (Sea Pines Plantation) and did so as often as he could. He loved music tremendously, serenading his family with favorites from the 40’s to the 60’s on just about every drive. Later in life he was a member of the Westminster “Croakers” and thoroughly enjoyed his years as part of that singing group.
Howard was a great and practical man. He loved his family (special shout-out to his cousins) and friends dearly, and let’s not forget that he especially loved his ice cream!
A memorial service will be held for Howard at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 11, 2018, at Peakland United Methodist Church with Rev. John Vest officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Lynchburg Humane Society
Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.
View Tribute Video
Howard, nicknamed “Sonny” by his parents Clara Lawton and Howard Ernest Mowry Sr. was born on June 16, 1926, in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended Laurel Hill Avenue Elementary School, Oliver Hazard Perry Jr. High and Mt. Pleasant High School, was a member of Plainfield Baptist church, and was a proud alumnus of Bryant University.
Howard enlisted at 17 in the Army Air Corps in 1943, and on November 28, 1944, they called him up to serve. Following Boot Camp in Biloxi Mississippi, he completed Airplane Mechanic and Flight Engineer training, and was then transferred to McDill AFB in Tampa FL where he worked as an airplane mechanic. He served out his time in WWII at the Horsching Air Base in Lintz, Austria. He was with the 79th Squadron, P47 Fighters and earned promotions from PFC to Corporal to Buck Sergeant. Howard returned home in August 1946 to Fort Dix after serving for 21 months, and always credited the G.I. Bill for his education at Bryant University where he graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration.
After serving his country, Howard started working for ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Company) as a salesman, eventually working to own his own gas stations on either side of Route 24 near Raynham, Massachusetts. He started the Hanson Porcelain Company and relocated the business from Massachusetts to John Capron Road in Lynchburg in 1966. He sold the business in 1976 but stayed on as President and CEO until 1980.
Howard started the building and development firm Long Meadows Inc. in 1976, building single family homes on the Historic Long Meadows Farm in Sandusky (now Falwell Homestead). He built and developed many subdivisions from Roanoke to Lynchburg from 1976-1996.
Howard was married for well over 50 years to three amazing women: Constance Pray, Carol Kapinos and Eleanor Judd, and was a wonderful father to his five children. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Christopher Scott and Dianne (Short) Mowry of Lynchburg, a son, Jeffery H. Mowry of Hartford, CT, and daughter and son-in-law, Susan Lynn (Mowry) and Victor DeCapua of East Windsor, CT. He was pre-deceased by his sons, David and Thomas. Lastly, he was loved and looked up to by his grandchildren and step-grandchildren Catherine, Bennett, William, Philip, Bill and Steven.
Howard loved to read and analyze business related subjects, followed many sports, mainly golf, tennis and football (Miami Dolphins fan). He loved to travel to Hilton Head Island (Sea Pines Plantation) and did so as often as he could. He loved music tremendously, serenading his family with favorites from the 40’s to the 60’s on just about every drive. Later in life he was a member of the Westminster “Croakers” and thoroughly enjoyed his years as part of that singing group.
Howard was a great and practical man. He loved his family (special shout-out to his cousins) and friends dearly, and let’s not forget that he especially loved his ice cream!
A memorial service will be held for Howard at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 11, 2018, at Peakland United Methodist Church with Rev. John Vest officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Lynchburg Humane Society
Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.
View Tribute Video
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