Obituary of Merwin L. Howard

MERWIN L. HOWARD Tucson, AZ- Merwin Leon Howard, 84, of Sidney, NY passed away Tuesday evening, February 3, 2015. He was born August 13, 1930 in Hamden, NY, son of Leon and Flossie Howard. Merwin graduated from Downsville Central School class of 1949, where he met Carol Elnora Dean of Ontario, NY, both of whom were on their respective senior trips to NYC. While in school, he excelled in both basketball and cross-country (sharing stories w his grand-children w such tales as “true cross-county” involving the jumping of barbed-wire fence for short-cuts). Merwin and Carol were married on August 16, 1952. She predeceased him in May of 1986. Merwin was a self-employed farmer, taking over the family farm until 1988. He was a member of the Hamden Presbyterian Church and a member of the Delhi Bird Club. He was an avid bird-watcher, enjoyed his "perfect seasons" of horse-shoes with his lifelong friends and pitching for the Hamden Polecats in Town Team baseball. He continued w his love of stone cutting, making his family and friends picture frames and trivets out of local stone. Merwin greatly enjoyed following his grandchildren’s sports and other activities. For the last ten years, he volunteered at the White Elephant in Green Valley. Merwin and Carol raised four boys on Cloview Farm on Basin Clove Road, Hamden: Donald (Jackie) Howard, Nelson (Nancy) Howard, Martin (Kathy) Howard and Ken (Ellen) Howard. In August, 1997, he married Sally Bartschi, expanding his family with Neil (Diana ) Rotzler, Gary (Debbie) Rotzler and Kurt (Georgianna) Rotzler. Merwin was predeceased by his half-sister Grace. He is survived by his children, grand-children: Chris (Nickie), Jennifer (Jon) Lopez, Sara, Ben, Erica, Dean, Andrew, Becky, Samantha, Kyrra and Andriel, Sara, Amanda, Luke, Brittany, Courtney, Trevor and great-grand children Ashton, Avery and Amelia. A memorial service will be held at 12:00 PM on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at the Hamden Presbyterian Church, 35806 State Highway 10, Hamden, NY. Memorial contributions can be made to American Cancer Society in the name of Merwin Howard. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family online at www.landersfh.com. Arrangements are under the direction of C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel, Sidney.