Rev. Halsey Howe, Served At Churches on Island

The Rev. Halsey DeWolf Howe died Feb. 14 at Midcoast Hospital in Brunswick, Me.

Father Howe was born on Jan. 27, 1921 in Bristol, R.I., the son of Wallis Eastburn Howe and Mary Locke Howe.

He was educated at Deerfield Academy and was a graduate of Williams College in the class of 1943. He served briefly in the U.S. Army before entering the Episcopal Theological School (now called Episcopal Divinity School) in Cambridge. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1946.

In June 1946, he married Carol Edgelow in Springfield. He served at Christ Church Cathedral, Springfield; Grace Church and St. Andrew’s Church on the Vineyard; Christ Church in Hamilton; St. Christopher’s Church, Gladwyne, Pa.; St. Martin’s Church, Providence, R.I.; and St. Mark’s Church, Springfield, Vt.

After his retirement in 1986, he and Carol moved to Rockland, Me., and later to Boothbay Harbor, Me. He assisted at various local Episcopal churches, including at St. Columba’s in Boothbay Harbor, which he attended.

He was a member of the Lodge of St. Andrew in Boston for more than five decades and served as its chaplain for much of that time.

Father Howe was committed to participating in the life of his church and his community, and serving on numerous local and national boards and committees. As an enthusiastic amateur thespian, he was well-known for his resonant and expressive speaking voice. He was a lifelong sailor, and earlier in his life he enjoyed tennis and skiing. One of his great joys was to march at the head of a bagpipe band, which he did as drum major for bands in Pennsylvania, Vermont and Maine.

Survivors include his wife Carol, of Boothbay Harbor, Me., with whom he celebrated 60 years of marriage last year; his children, David Howe and his wife Barbara Smiley of Bend, Ore., Mary Howe and her husband Richard Stein of Lawrence, Kans., Thomas Howe and his wife Kathleen Dinneen of Lawrence, Kans., Priscilla Howe of Lawrence, Kans., Faith Howe and her husband Charles Lavaty of Madison, Wis., Mark Howe and his wife Sarah of Burlington, Vt. and Deborah Howe and her husband Richard Agnew of Norwood; four grandchildren, Timothy, Dylan and Skyler Howe, all of Bend, Ore. and William Stein of Lawrence, Kans.; two step-grandchildren, Cecelia and Helen DeKorne, both of Burlington, Vt.; and a brother, Dr. Herbert Howe and his wife Evelyn of Fort Atkinson, Wis.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 297, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.

A burial eucharist was held Feb. 19 at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, 32 Emery Lane, Boothbay Harbor, Me. Arrangements were made by the Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Boothbay, Me.