Arthur L. Howard

Arthur Lincoln Howard passed away early Friday morning, March 13, 2015. He was born on August 11, 1920 in the small town of Bridgton, Maine. His parents were Lawrence and Ruth (nee Lewis) Howard. He was one of five children. His brother Lewis Howard and his sister Mary (nee Howard) Martikainen predeceased him. His twin brother and sister, Reverend Robert Howard of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Rachel (nee Howard) Bacon of Naples, Maine are his surviving siblings. He has one son, Glenn Howard of Ojochal, Costa Rica, one son, Charles Varklet of Englewood, Florida and one daughter, LeeAnn (nee Varklet) Muster, wife of Ben of Port Charlotte, Florida. He has two grandchildren, Sydney and Elias Muster. His wife of 35 years, Mary (nee Davis) Howard was by his side when he passed away. His wife, Dorothy (nee Brown) Howard passed away in 1978. Education and social causes were always a priority for Arthur. He completed high school at Bridgton High School, college at Monmouth University and at New York University. His additional areas of study were in economics and development, completing studies at Yale University as well as at Johns Hopkins University. Throughout his life he continued to participate in activities that would provide him with learning opportunities in a number of areas. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. He was assigned to a supply ship and sailed in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. After his Honorable Discharge from the Navy in 1946 he went to work for the Department of Labor where he worked as a liaison between the Department and the Unions. He served two tours in Indonesia as an International Training Officer for the Department of Labor. After returning to Washington, D.C., he transferred to the State Department where he served for twenty years as a Foreign Service Officer for AID. During that time he lived in Zambia where he served as Mission Director. After retirement he continued to work as a private consultant for the State Department. He was also active in social organizations such as the Rotary and the Kiwanis. He was an active member of a number of administrative boards such as the Weatherly School Board and the Health Systems Council. He always loved to travel. He has been to six of the seven continents. He would drive his Airstream trailer most anywhere. When traveling he liked to find culturally important places and enjoyed the art, food and music of those places. He was a flexible traveler and was usually prepared for most adventures. After moving to Port Charlotte, FL in 1989, he took advantage of the numerous and varied activities available. Square and round dancing, numerous classes and lectures at the Cultural Center, community and neighborhood events were all things in which he found an interest. The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Port Charlotte became a central part of his life. He was an active member and served in many leadership roles. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00AM on Saturday, April 11, 2015 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 1532 Forrest Nelson Boulevard in Port Charlotte. Please visit Arthur's tribute wall at www.schelmfh.com to share memories and to send condolences to the Howard family. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his honor to the Endowment Fund at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 1532 Forrest Nelson Boulevard, Port Charlotte, FL 33952. Arrangements by Paul Schelm Funeral Home in Lake Suzy. Phone (941) 625-3535.