HOWISON

William A. 'Pete' Howison

MARION -- William A. "Pete" Howison, 91, 319 E. Walnut St., passed away at 10:20 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003, at his home.

Born Feb. 11, 1912, in Marion, he was the son of the late Lee and Callie Howison.

He married Nadine Knachel on Dec. 24, 1939, and they were married for 54 years before her death in 1993.

They have three sons, David Lee of Lexington, Va, Gregg Allen of McCarther, Ohio and Peter William of Dunes City, Ore.

A prominent teacher, coach, administrator and athlete, he graduated from Harding High School in 1930, received a bachelor's degree from Ohio Northern University and a master's degree from Ohio State University.

In 1939, he began his distinguished career in education as a teacher and coach at Nelson (Ohio) High School. In 1943 he enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a lieutenant JD on a destroyer escort in the South Pacific. He was awarded the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

After the conclusion of the war, he returned to Marion as teacher and coach at Central Junior High School. In 1947, he was promoted to head football and baseball coach at Harding High School where he established a winning record before becoming principal of Eber Baker Middle School. In 1965, he was appointed assistant principal of Harding High and later served as principal of the Harding Freshman building before retiring in 1973.

A superb athlete, he started as quarterback of the Ohio Northern football team and was a mainstay of the Smity's All-Stars baseball powerhouse in the 1940s. In his retirement, he took up golf and recorded two holes-in-one and shot a 78 at the Hickory Grove Golf Club at the age of 77.

Inducted into the Harding High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985, he was an active member of the Marion community serving on the board of directors of Marion Children Services, the YMCA Board of Directors and the Kiwanis Club.

He is survived by his brother, Earl Howison of Cridersville, Ohio, and sister Martha Brown of Columbus. His other sister, Mary Braskett of Crystal Lake, Ill., died in September of this year.

Calling hours will be held at the Boyd Funeral Home on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2003, from 3-6 p.m. A private memorial service for family members will be held at a later date.

Originally published Saturday, November 29, 2003