Howard Jerome Bland

Howard J. Bland, age 85 (D.O.B. February 1, 1930), passed away on October 25, 2015. Howard was born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania to the late Dr. Albert D. and Rose Bland. Howard has been a resident of Greer, South Carolina since 1982. Originally from Yeadon, Pennsylvania, he moved to Greenville County to become part-owner in the Dan F. Williamson Company in Greer. After his retirement from the Dan F. Williamson Company in 1992, Howard worked as a full-time starter and ranger at Carolina Springs Golf Club. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mollie Bland, his sons and their wives, Robert J. and Stacey G. Bland , Branford, CT, Richard N. and Emily H. Bland of Stowe, VT and Eric S. and Renee C. Bland of Columbia, SC; his grandchildren Jamie B. Flaum of Rochester, NY; Erica G. Bland of New York, NY, Gillian G. Bland of Los Angeles, CA; Zachary D. Bland of Manchester, NH; Alexandra H. Bland of Morrisville, VT and Theodore S. Bland of Stowe, VT; Sydney A. Bland of Columbia, SC and Davis J. Bland of Columbia, SC, along with great grandchildren Harrison Bland Flaum (who was named after his great-grandfather Howard) and Jordana Bland Flaum of Rochester, NY. The true passions in his life were his wife Mollie, his three sons and their families, golf, Penn State football and Duke basketball. Howard made everyone he knew feel good and smile. Howard was a longtime member and former board member of Temple of Israel Synagogue in Greenville, South Carolina. He graduated from Penn State University in 1951 with a B.A. degree and was a member and officer of the Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity. He served in the United States Army Medical Corps in the Korean Conflict in Heidelberg, Germany from July 1951 through June 1953 in the Command Lab of ECOM. Howard accumulated master bridge points during his playing days and was a highly skilled bridge player. He loved being with his family, coaching youth basketball, and spending time with his friends at the golf course. He will be sorely missed as a man of integrity and an exemplar of an indomitable spirit of perseverance through many years of health-related issues. Memorials may be made to the Greenville County South Carolina chapter of the American Cancer Society. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at the Temple Israel at 400 Spring Forrest Road in Greenville.