Born June 4, 1906 in Davenport, Iowa, one of 11 children of John Fitz Alan Howard and Sarah Drucilla Sears. His father, John FitzAlan Howard, published the first Encyclopedia of Chiropractic (The Howard System), and in 1906 founded the National School of Chiropractic in Davenport. The school is still in existence and is now located in Lombard, Illinois. His paternal grandfather, John Richards Howard, was a member of the Arthur Brown Co. of Mormon handcart pioneers, and was famous for bringing the first mowing machine to Salt Lake Valley in 1864. His maternal grandfather, Isaac Sears, was the owner of Salt Lake City's largest feed and grain store located next to ZCMI in 1878.
Marcus Howard was a 1924 graduate of LDS High School in Salt Lake City and attended Utah Agricultural College (Utah State) where he studied horticulture, played football and competed in other college level sports. In his later years, he remained an active participant in competitive sports, competing in several World Senior Olympics in St. George, winning a gold medal in the shot put in 1989.
Marcus Howard was a faithful member of the LDS Church serving as a high priest in the Glendale, California 2nd Ward. He enjoyed his fishing vacations to the beautiful color country of Southern Utah and staying at his son's Santa Clara, Utah home.
He was an ardent history buff, a member of the Autrey Museum of Western Heritage and held membership in the Utah Historical Society.
During the Great Depression years, he worked for the WPA in Jensen, Utah building the quarry site for what is now Dinosaur National Monument. After moving to Los Angeles, he became the family chauffeur for child film star, Deanna Durbin, and worked at Savage Boat Works in Los Angeles making life rafts during World War II. He retired in 1971 after 31 years as a landscape horticulture supervisor for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
His wife, Mrs. Helen Young Howard, whom he married in 1939, preceded him in death in 1988. He is survived by his seven children, Marlene Warme, La Canada, Calif.; Caroline Wukelich, Pasadena, Calif.; Marcus R., Murray; Craig M., Santa Clara, Ut.; Deborah Cameron, Kenneth S., both Glendale, Calif.; Winnifred Westwood, Burbank, Calif.; 11 grandchildren; and one great grandchild; one brother, Lloyd Howard of La Verkin, Utah. (Deseret News - June 26, 1996)
Octogenarian Medalist Ensign: February 1992
Citius, Altius, Fortius.
The words in Latin mean “faster, higher, stronger.” They characterize
the aims of Marcus Stuart Howard, a member of the Glendale Second Ward,
Glendale California Stake.
At
the age of eighty-three, Brother Howard won a gold medal in the shot
put and a bronze in horseshoe pitching at the World Senior Games, held
October 1989 in St. George, Utah. And in 1990, he earned a silver medal
in baseball at the Senior Sports Festival sponsored by the city of
Burbank, California.
Always
wanting to improve himself, Marcus has given his best to be precise.
Whether he is throwing a ball with keen accuracy or making straight rows
in his vegetable garden, Marcus Howard is pursuing and has always
pursued excellence.
As
a young man, he scored first place in the civil service examination on
botanical species, qualifying him to work in landscaping for the Board
of Education. With his sunny disposition and his love for plants and
birds and nature, he coaxed flowers and shrubs to thrive around public
buildings. Even after retirement, he worked hard at various jobs until
he reached age eighty-one.
He and his wife, Helen Young Howard, had seven children and lived in Glendale for more than thirty-seven years.
Brother
Howard recalls that the excitement of participating in the senior games
was wonderful. “Your heart pounds, your stomach churns, your muscles
ache, and you know you’re really alive. What fun it is to challenge
yourself!”—, Pasadena, California
[photo] World Senior Games winner Marcus Howard. (Photograph by Caroline Howard Wukelich.)
Marcus R. Howard, age 72, living at 4821 S. Center Street, Salt Lake City, UT 801-265-3804 who previously lived at 537 Hazel Street in Glendale.
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| Marcus is on far left in dark clothing, 1913 Chicago |
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| LtoR Marlene, Marcus, Helen, Carolyn |
Marcus Stuart Howard, by His Sister, Lucie Howard James
Mark was born on June 14, 1906 in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa to Drucilla Sears and John Fitz Alan Howard.Father had just started school and was depending on payments from the sale of their home in Bountiful, Utah for money. Sometimes the payments didn’t come and times were hard. On the day Mark was born Dad came down with pneumonia and there were four other children under seven years old. Things looked bad–they knew no one in Davenport, then suddenly a knock came a the door. It was Elder Henry Hintze out tracking for the church. Seeing the situation he came right in, put on an apron, bathed the baby, fixed cereal for mother and us children. Every day for two weeks he came and did whatever needed to be done. He also got help for father–called a Japanese student named Togo Marcus who stayed faithfully until Dad was well. He then asked to name the baby. Mother was very grateful to him and named the baby Marcus. To Elder Hintze she showed her gratefulness in a more practical way. She sent him home with a package for her younger sister Irene, when he returned home from his mission. He not only called on Irene but he also courted and married her. All Mark’s life he loved to play ball and as a small boy used to throw a ball against the house on Congress Street and catch it–(not the traffic then as it is now.)
Mark had a beautiful physique and was very strong and good looking. Mother once said that Mark had never said an unkind thing to her in his life. I’ve never seen him lose his temper either. Mark’s love for guns amounted almost to an obsession. One beautiful summer day I heard a shot from a gun. I ran upstairs–in Mother’s room Mark was standing before the dresser with arms folded like a bandit and still holding the gun. He was chalk white and in a trembling voice has said, “I’m shot,” but he wasn’t shot, the bullet had gone straight up through the ceiling! For years we had an ugly, coal stove right in the middle of out front room. The day came however when we put in a hot air furnace. The air came out of a wooden contraption about 4' high in the corner of the room.
One day when things had been going amiss Mark lifted Mother up–set her on the top of the heater (the air came out of the sides) and said, “Now Mother remember, there is no place like home,” quickly Mother replied, “Well let’s be thankful for that.” I remember once when he sang a solo in Logan Square Sunday School. I was so excited and anxious for him that I could hardly stand it. During his high school days he got a job cutting lawns in the cemetery which he was proud of, because it paid more than most jobs. This was not only hard work, but very hot work and one day he was brought home unconscious with a sun stroke. For 36 hours we worked with him night and day as he tossed in fever and delirium. After receiving a blessing from two Mormon Elders who had dropped in to see us, he rallied and was soon well. He was so strong that it took two strong men and sometimes a woman or two to keep him in bed when his fever was bad. He graduated from Proviso Township High School and attended the A.C. College in Logan. In 1938 he married Helen Olive Young in California. They now have seven fine children. Marlene, Caroline, Mark Richards, Craig Matthew, Deborah Ellen, Kenneth Sears and Winifred. Mark is care-taker of a High School in Glendale, California.
In 1954 Elder Wilde called to see us in Provo and asked about Mark. He said that he was the Elder who gave Mark his blessing and had never known how he got along because he was released from his mission soon after his visit to our home. Harold Hintze (one of Aunt Irene’s boys) once said to me, “Where is Mark now? What kind of a family has he?” I said, “We’re very proud of Mark and Helen’s family of seven fine children! Marcus and Craig served missions and Craig also attended B.Y.U. as did Marlene. Caroline, a lovely girl, married a dentist and is a good mother. The other three, two girls and a boy are special also. They named their youngest girl Winifred after our Winnie.” Harold said, “That’s what I like to hear, that’s what I call real success!” by Lucie Howard James
