Robert Maull Howe, III died peacefully May 24, 2018, after a courageous battle with cancer. His wife and children were by his side. He was born on September 21, 1946, to the late Anne Krebs Howe and Robert Maull Howe, Jr. of Tuskegee, Alabama. and Montgomery, Alabama. He was a graduate of Sidney Lanier High School, Birmingham Southern College (BA) and Auburn University (MA). He was a long-time resident of Dallas, Texas.
He spent his career in technology and education and held numerous executive level positions with Dell, AT&T, CompUSA and UnitedOnline!, Inc (formerly IceWeb). Most recently, he served as Director of District Affairs for Newman International Academy, however, his favorite titles were that of husband, father, grandfather, and friend.
He is survived by his wife Anita Tweedie Howe; daughters Katharyn Howe (Charles) DeVille and Elizabeth Anne Howe; sons Robert Maull Howe, IV and Joshua David (Samatha) Howe; his granddaughter Jacqueline DeVille; his sister Ruth Howe (Will) Liddell and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Kathleen Howe Holdridge.
A memorial service will be held at the Hepzibah Newman Event Center, Dallas, Texas, on Friday, June 8, 2018, at 10:00 am. Interment in the Tuskegee City Cemetery, Tuskegee, Alabama, will follow at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations to:
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
- American Cancer Society
- Newman International Academy.
Published in the Montgomery Advertiser on May 27, 2018
The Rev. Canon Michael (Mike) Owens (1965)
I am always so deeply saddened, and shocked when seeing unexpected notice of the death of a friend of so many years. Robbie and I were good friends at Lanier, were golf buddies at Woodley CC, and attended each others sports games of basketball, baseball, and football briefly. We had been in touch in recent years on this LANIER website, though not in other ways over the years. But on each occasion we began always with laughter, often loud and long laughter about a high school insident as several of us (Tommy Keene, Phil Anders and another I think) were taking practice swings before driving on some hole at Woodley CC. The TALL ONE not seeing his small friend behind him launched one of his massive 6'8" practice swings that knocked me down to the soft tee bleeding "like a stuck pig". It required a few stiches but was otherwise not damaging except emotionally to the four of us, and poor Robbie especially!
So apologetic, and remorceful was Robbie that he remembered the incident long after I had long forgotten it (such a sweet and sensitive man). It was the first thing he communicated to me each time we were in touch after finding each other on facebook and later this site! "Mike, or should I say Father Mike, I pray that you have forgiven me for my unintended blow to your head so many years ago!). Fooling with him, I responded that I had of course forgiven and actually forgotten it all..........reminded of it only by the still large scar on my head, and was occasionally reminded of it when suffer excruciating pain (how naughty of me but with affection for my old friend)! He went silent........but joined me in his own loud laughter of relief when he heard mine! And in the many times that we talked afterwards, we continued to laugh about it but in affection for each other, in addition to sharing what was going on in each other's lives! And he got me back many times with various jokes that he would play on me about my being both a therapist and then, a priest. Who would believe it?!
"Mike Owens, a shrink and a holy man, oh my God!.......in the Oracle (Lanier's year book), we will have to create a new honor, (most UNlikely to succed as a servant minister", hahahahha. As all of us know, even God, now holding Robbie in arms of love forever, will both smile, and roar in a holy laughing aloud!!
I loved and will love you forever, friend and brother, REST IN PEACE, and may your family be blessed with comfort in their deep sadness and enduring grief.
Be blessed, all of you, Mike (The Reverend Robert Michael Owens+)
Rick Kirschman (1965)
I am heartbroken to hear this news. Robbie was sucn an important part of my life my senior year at Lanier, and I have always considered him one of my best friends. Although I had lived in Montgomery during my 9th grade year and did have many friends from Floyd, I still felt like the "new kid" arriving at Lanier. Robbie was in my home room and from the very first day we just clicked. He took me under his wing, introduced me to a lot of his friends (which seemed like just about everyone) and truly made me feel comfortable at my new school. We spent a lot of time together that year and Robbie became a part of our family.
After graduation we moved away from Montgomery (Air Force family) and we both went off to school and our separate lives. We did have the opportunity to catch up again at the 20 year Lanier reunion and I stll remember vividly, spending over three hours at breakfast with Robbie and Mac Ritchie catching up and sharing tales of what had transpired for all of us - great stories and lots laughs.
We connected again a few years ago at the 50th and nothing had changed - Robbie was the same and remembered things that we did our senior year that even I had forgotten. We enjoyed so much meeting Anita - she and my wife Denise are about the same age, so they really hit it off. He seemed to be in great spirits and health, so hearing about his passing is as surprising as it is saddening. I will always cherish his friendship and will think of him often. He was truly one of a kind, and I am pleased he passed peacefully and is at rest with our Lord.
Rick Kirschman