Watsonville, CA

John, son of Harry Welty Howard and Marion Ray Howard, lifelong Bay Area resident (Woodside, Foster City, Oakland , Walnut Creek) passed away peacefully at home in Watsonville on January 29, 2023 after 3 months of hospice care. He leaves his daughter Anne, her fiancé Erik Simpson, his beloved cat Fiona, and cousins in the Chicago area.

A Bellarmine graduate (1955), he attended Stanford and Menlo (1959), got involved with 8-man crew and competed in the 1960 Olympic Rowing Trials with coach Dewey Hecht. He fondly recalled singing at Rosetti’s with friends who went on to become the Kingston Trio. His active life included auto racing in his Lotus and Spitfire II at many US tracks and continued as a track steward for some years as well as golf, particularly his favorite course at Poppy Hills. After years as a salesman for J&J he started International Motoring, a foreign car parts store in San Carlos which was a bright spot on the peninsula for many years. Later in life he became a tour guide, serving as president of the SF Tour Guild and leading SF city tours and wine country tours as well as several international tours to his beloved Ireland. He survived a deadly form of melanoma 20 years ago, but treatment effects curtailed his previous athleticism. He took great pleasure in meeting his friends at the Walnut Creek Senior Center and distributing bread to friends at the adjacent library where he would stay current on politics and play sudoku. He enjoyed the live music in front of the Walnut Creek Peets, especially Harry Higgin's amazing banjo.

Services will be held at St John Vianney Catholic Church, 1650 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Walnut Creek on March 1 at 10:30 AM with reception to follow on site. Please RSVP to: Anne Howard 831-247-5584. In lieu of flowers a donation to an animal charity would be fitting.