Dr. Howard Alexander Redmond

Dr. Howard Redmond, professor emeritus of religion and philosophy at Whitworth University, died on October 17th, 2020, from complications of COVID-19. Howard grew up in Los Angeles, where he met Lois Wagner, his wife of 67 years. He earned his B.A. from UCLA, his M.Div. from Princeton Seminary, and his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. He then served three years as a professor at Davis and Elkins College (W.Va.). He went on to pastor the Presbyterian church in Sanger, CA, for three years and then joined the Whitworth community in 1957, where he faithfully taught until he retired in 1990. He wrote four books on Christian theology during his career at Whitworth and was best known for his courses on the Old Testament and C.S. Lewis.

He made many contributions outside of the classroom as well. Howard was a gifted musician, sharing his talent with the campus community in many ways, including playing piano duets with Hugh Johnston (Whitworth chemistry professor), singing in the Whitworth faculty men’s quartet, playing string bass in the Whitworth symphony, and even having a symphony he had composed performed by the Whitworth symphony.

In his retirement years, Howard pastored the Loon Lake Congregational Church and, as a volunteer for Project Joy, continued to play regular piano concerts at senior care centers throughout Spokane. He also kept up his lifelong love of tennis long into retirement. He is survived by his wife, Lois (Wagner) Redmond, daughter, Colleen Redmond Peterson, son, Calvin Redmond, five grandchildren (Ben Redmond, Rachel Redmond, Ruthie Redmond, Kirsten Peterson Beshay, and Gretchen Peterson), and a great-grandson, Morgan Redmond.

A Celebration of Dr. Redmond's life will be held Saturday, October 9, 2021, 2:00pm at Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church, 312 W. Hawthorne Rd., Spokane, WA 99218.