Jerry Richard Howland

A visitation will take place on Friday, February 3, 2023 from 9:00 am until the time of service at 10:00 am at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple, Texas. A graveside service will follow at Bellwood Memorial Park, 8575 Airport Rd, Temple, Texas 76502

Mr. Howland was born on August 10, 1938 in Goodrich, Illinois to Harold L. Howland and Lorraine C. (Combs) Howland. Mr. Howland was raised in Homewood, Illinois, where he graduated from Thornton Township High School, Harvey, Illinois in 1957. He studied Automotive Mechanics at the Ferris Institute at Thornton Junior College and later taught Automotive Brake and Front End Equipment courses at Thornton Junior College. Mr. Howland was certified from the Ferris Institute Trade and Industrial Division as well from the American Association of Industrial Management.

Mr. Howland met and fell in love with his wife of 43 years, Bonnie (Farmer) Howland at the Homewood Sweet Shop in Homewood, Illinois. They had three children Jeff, Patrick M. (Pat) and Vickie.

Mr. and Mrs. Howland were entrepreneurs owned and operated many businesses throughout their lives. In the 1960’s they owned Olympia Sunoco Service Station and Sun Oil Service Station in Harvey, Illinois. In 1972 Mr. and Mrs. Howland moved to Dwight, Illinois. Mr. Howland was the general manager of Paulson Chevrolet until 1975. In 1975 Mr. and Mrs. Howland bought Rhode Motors and moved to Piper City Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Howland named their business Howland Motors. Mr. Howland was a successful Chrysler-Plymouth, Dodge dealer, owner, operator for many years winning trips all over the world for highest cars sold from the Chrysler Corporation. In 1982 Mr. and Mrs. Howland moved to Temple, Texas. Mr. Howland began working at ER Carpenter Co. and retired in 2002. During his tenure at ER Carpenter he worked as a production manager, branch manager, and also managed multiple departments to include shipping and receiving, the truck shop and forklift repair, training manager and traffic manager.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge the Scottish Rite Masons in Bloomington, Illinois, where he obtained his 32 degree on November 15, 1975. Mr. Howland was a member of the United Methodist Church in Piper City, Illinois and attended church in Temple and Waco, Texas. Mr. Howland loved working on cars, racing cars, teaching others automotive mechanics and helping others.

Mr. Howland was preceded in death by his son Patrick M. Howland, wife Bonnie (Farmer) Howland, parents Harold and Lorraine (Combs) Howland and niece Tricia (Howland) DePasquale.

Mr. Howland is survived by his son, Jeff Howland of Temple, Texas; his daughter Vickie (Howland) Williams and her husband Jeffrey Williams of Los Lunas, New Mexico; two brothers Patrick Howland and wife Elayne of Monee, Illinois, James Howland and wife Irene of Frankfort, Illinois; brother-in-law James Farmer Sr. and wife Rosemarie of Oregon, Illinois; daughter-in-law’s and son-in-law’s Felicia and Juan Ayala of Harker Heights, Texas; Patricia and Roger Petter of Tomball, Texas; David and Christy Beherns of Greenwood, Arkansas; Nina and Steve Johnson of Cameron, Texas, grandsons; Christopher Beherns of Waco, Texas, Patrick Howland and wife Sierra of Cameron, Texas; granddaughters Courtney (Howland) Everts and husband Mike of Copperas Cove, Texas, Ashley (Howland-Petter) Dittrich and husband Robert of Rogers, Arkansas; step grandchildren Russ Hall, Ray Hall of Harker Heights, Texas, Natasha Woitunski of Massachusetts, Nick Petter of Tomball, Texas, Mackenzie Petter and wife Jessica of Houston, Texas, Allie (Petter) Caldwell and husband Chris of Tomball, Texas; Christian Williams of Crawford, Texas, and great grandchildren; Kendall, Harper, Selah, Charlotte Dittrich of Rogers, Arkansas and Brooke, Jamison, Parker Howland of Cameron, Texas; 3 nieces and 4 nephews.

In lieu of flowers memorials in Jerry's name to the Alzheimer's Association (Alz.org) would be appreciated.