Howard Warner

Howard Lee Warner was born the 2nd of six children to Wilma (Friener) and Al Warner of Newark, OH, on March 22, 1941. He attended Newark St. Francis High School, the Ohio State University, the Ohio State Barber College and Columbus State Community College. Howard served in the Ohio Air National Guard and then joined the U.S. Army. He was a paratrooper in the famed 82nd Airborne Division, was deployed to Germany during the Berlin Crisis in 1961, and continued in Europe during the early part of the Vietnam War. He was extremely proud of his military service and was a 50-year member of the VFW. He returned to the US and opened Howard’s Barbershop on W. Lane Ave, Upper Arlington, OH.

After four decades of barbering, he was appointed by then Ohio Governor Robert Taft as Executive Director of the Ohio State Barber Board. He was elected President of the National Association of Barber Boards of America and was inducted into the National Barber Hall of Fame in 2006. His advocacy for barbering extended to volunteering at the National Barber Museum in Canal Winchester, OH. He was a member of St. Agatha Parish where he was an usher, member of the St. Vincent DePaul Society, J.O.I.N. and T.O.U.C.H. Volunteering was a constant for him! He learned this early in life from his mother who delivered Meals on Wheels. Howard was a board member on the Columbus State Community College Foundation Board Scholarships Award Committee. He served on the Bing Cancer Center advisory committee. Because of his volunteerism, he was chosen as one of the 'Everyday Heroes' by the Columbus Dispatch in 2018, and the Senior Citizen Community Service Award winner in Upper Arlington in 2023.

He married a beautiful nurse, Joyce (Dunaway) Warner, from East Liberty, OH, in 1965. They created a life together in UA raising their son Todd. Howard coached soccer and lead Cub Scout groups. Later, he seldom missed any sporting events or activities in which his grandchildren participated. Howard and Joyce found Upper Arlington a wonderful place to live and raise a family. In his spare time, he earned a real estate brokers license and a private pilot license. He loved fly fishing, hunting, soccer, volleyball, golf, and playing poker with his friends. His strong will took him a long way in life and believed the saying, “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” His compassion drove him to help others in need. He never met a stranger.

He is survived by his wife Joyce; son Todd (Jayn Moore) Warner; grandchildren Jenna and Jack Warner; brother Kenneth (Sandy) Warner; sisters Shirley Shepard and Beverly Raptoulis; and many other extended family and close friends. He is preceded in death by his parents Al and Wilma Warner, brothers Ronald and Dennis Warner.

Family will receive friends 4-7pm on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Schoedinger Northwest, 1740 Zollinger Road, Columbus, OH 43221. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10am on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at St. Agatha Catholic Church, 1860 Northam Road, Upper Arlington, OH 43221. Private interment will take place at East Liberty Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Open Shelter, 1037 Parsons Ave, Columbus, OH 43206, or Honor Flight Columbus, 2233 N Bank Dr, Columbus, OH 43220, or simply volunteering your time serving a community that you love in his honor.

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