Howard Paul Smith

July 7, 1931 - August 17, 2019
Howard was born in Sutton Quebec across the Vermont border where his father's family was from. He was the 7th child of 10 to Frank and Ethyl Smith. The family emigrated to Dove Creek near Courtenay when he was 6.
He only had a grade 8 education when he started working in the forestry industry as a whistlepunk for his brother's logging company near Minstrel Island. He tried his hand at many different types of logging jobs, finally working as a faller for the last 25 years before his retirement in 1990. With his first wife Gail, Howard had 2 sons, Donald and Scott. They moved in 1962 to the north arm of Lake Cowichan. When they later divorced, Howard met another music teacher named Lucille Whittingham (nee Grip). They married and had their son Paul. Together with Lucille's previous children, Bob, Lisa, and Jean-Ann, they lived in Youbou.
Howard was an avid hunter and fisherman and a founding member of the Valley Fish and Game Club. He had a strong belief in conservation and led the club into many projects.
Howard was part of a very large family. He was predeceased by four brothers (Blaine, Duane, Barry, & Richie), two sisters (Olive & Pauline) and his wife Lucille. He is survived by his three sisters (Janice, Evans & Nora), his three sons (Donald & Scott Lindenthaler, and Paul (Jen) Smith), and step children, Bob (Deb) Whittingham, Lisa (Vernard) White, and Jean-ann (Ron) MacLeod. Howard had 13 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, 2 great great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Howard was a kind, generous man whose family was important to him. His chuckle and sense of humour will be remembered by all who knew him.
Please join us for a true celebration of his life and legacy at the Youbou Community Hall on Saturday, September 28th, 2019 at 1 pm.
A huge thank-you to the staff at Nanaimo Memory and Complex Care where he spent his last six months.