John Howes Death, Obituary – The passing of our cherished owner, John Howes, is something we must announce with the utmost sadness on our part. We all miss him more than we are able to express with words, and his family is constantly in our thoughts and prayers. His obituary can be found below: John Richard Howes passed away in the comfort of his home on February 6, 2023, with his devoted family members by his side. On April 10th, 1928, in Davenport, Iowa, John Howes was born to his parents, Frank and Janice Howes.
John earned his degree in business administration from the University of Iowa in 1952 and was elected class president during his time there. While he was attending college, he fell in love with his future wife, Mary Sue Orsborn. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi and participated in the ROTC at the same time. When he was in the middle of getting his MBA, he got called up for active duty in the Air Force and was stationed in Germany as a lieutenant.
He felt privileged to be of service. After completing his military service, he went home to Davenport and went to work for the family business. On March 6, 1954, he wed Sue, and the ceremony took place. They went on many exciting journeys as a family and were responsible for the upbringing of five children. They made a home together that was filled with love and joy, and they traveled the world together. John was ultimately successful in taking over and running the family business. He oversaw its success for the next five generations of the family.
He continued to work right up until the day he passed away. He continued to educate himself throughout his life and was tenacious in the face of adversity. He never gave up on anyone, any idea, or anything, not even a book he didn’t like! In 1967, he made the decision to stop drinking and remained dedicated to his sobriety for the remainder of his life. Sue passed away the day before he did, on May 19th, 2022.
His five children, Frank (Mary Lou Burket) Howes, Mary Howes, Tom (Beth) Howes, Nancy (Joe) Coon, and Sarah (Dave) Adelson, are the only ones left to carry on his legacy and honor his memory. In addition, he is survived by his six grandchildren: John Davis, Steven Adelson (and his wife, Larissa), William Davis, Kevin Adelson (and his wife, Maddy Coda), Emily Schmitt (and her husband, Benjamin), and Lauren Coon (and her husband, Cole Horton). Camden Tumlin-Davis, his great-grandchild, is another member of his family that he leaves behind. The rites of cremation have been carried out in accordance with his wishes. A memorial service honoring the deceased’s life will take place at a later time.