Read about the Howards of McMinnville, including about their 1959 Cadillac El Dorado which has since been sold. Note the Howards’ Linfield connections ….
8/31/2006. McMinnville N-R
One of the truly
"vintage" vehicles scheduled for the Oregon Vintage Festival's car
show is a 1959 Cadillac El Dorado Biarritz convertible, owned by Mickey and
Paul Howard of McMinnville.
At 20-plus feet long and equipped with huge fins, it's one of only 99 examples
of the model made with bucket seats, said Tim Howard, who drives it to shows on
his parents' behalf.
The Caddie also contains many unique features: seat belts, which were a luxury
in 1959; electronic headlight dimmers; original leather seats; and a unique air
conditioning unit that sits on the hump above the drive line, called a
Frigdiking.
"I used to ride between the seats and I always got the cool air,"
said Tim Howard, who now runs a tuxedo shop.
His grandfather, Charles Iseman, won the car when it was new. The silver gray
Caddie was first prize in a contest sponsored by Gerdon Industries of Kansas -
it went to Iseman for selling the most Gerdon mobile homes that year.
"The year before and the year after, first prize was a Rolls Royce, so
that tells you the value and prestige of this Cadillac," Tim Howard said.
His parents acquired the car in 1961, when his grandfather died. They restored
it to mint condition a couple of years ago. This year, Tim Howard said, he's
had the privilege of driving it to the Lions Drive-in, Fly-in Breakfast, Turkey
Rama, the Rock of Ages air show. Now he's heading for the new Oregon Vintage
Festival, which he will attend Saturday and possibly Sunday, as well.
"It's a nice ride," he said.
Men of Howard Hill fete new grad
5/29/2007, McMinnville N-R by Starla
Pointer
Three generations of
the Howard family - new graduate, trio of alumni and professor emeritus -
celebrated Sunday at the Linfield College commencement.
Adam Howard picked up his diploma in elementary education. After taking the
summer off, he'll return to classes in September, this time as a teacher and
coach in the Yamhill-Carlton School District.
His dad, Tim, and uncles Curran and Steve, who all attended Linfield for at
least a year, were there to cheer Adam on. So was grandpa Paul, a former
Linfield sociology professor who hadn't been back for graduation since his
retirement in 1992.
With his eldest grandson receiving a degree this year, Paul Howard said he just
couldn't stay away. "I'm very proud of Adam," he said.
Proud that his grandson is graduating from a school that's been part of the
Howard family since 1965, he said. Especially proud that Adam plans to be an
educator, as he was the last 27 years of his career.
So, on Sunday morning, the elder Howard donned his black robe and
blue-and-gold-trimmed hood, signifying his doctoral degree from the University
of Southern California. Since he has mobility problems, he joined the
processional in a wheelchair pushed by his son, Curran, who graduated from
Linfield in 1969.
Curran, the oldest of the brothers, chose Linfield because he wanted to study
business administration at a small, high-quality school. The McMinnville school
offered an added benefit, he said: It would let him get away from his family,
since the Howards then lived in Yakima, Wash., where Paul was pastoring First
Baptist Church.
Soon after Linfield accepted Curran, though, the school hired his dad to teach
sociology and the whole family came to McMinnville. "I hoped to get away
from them, but it didn't work out," Curran said in mock dismay.
Eventually, after graduating in 1969, he did spent some time away from home. He
worked for various automotive companies in California.
Now, however, the 59-year-old lives right next door to his parents on what
they've dubbed "Howard Hill."
Brother Tim, the youngest, lives across the street. That's where Adam lived
when he attended McMinnville High School and most of the time he attended
Linfield, though he spent his freshman year living in a campus dorm.
Steve, the middle brother, lives far from the family enclave - all the way
across town on Riverside Drive.
"I told all my boys they could go to any school," the family
patriarch said. "I was pleased when Curran picked Linfield."
However, he said the Linfield he and his eldest came to in 1965 is not the same
as the Linfield of today. "It's just a better school now," he said.
A larger faculty, students who enter with a better academic record and a campus
more than twice the size that it was in the 1960s all contribute to making the
current version of Linfield superior, he said.
Paul Howard taught at Linfield for 27 years. His background as an American
Baptist minister was a good fit with the school, which was founded by Baptists
in the 1850s and still has ties with the denomination.
His son, Steve, now 56, attended the college for one year. Tim, 49, attended
off and on for several years and took many of his father's courses.
Tim said he was happy when his son chose Linfield, as well.
For Adam, a 2003 graduate of Mac High, attending college in his home town just
seemed right.
"I liked the small community and small school," he said. "I
liked having classes with less than 500 students."
He also liked being able to continue his sports activities.
At Mac High, he was a three-sport athlete, lettering in soccer, basketball and
track. As a sophomore, he was part of the state championship 4x400 relay team.
At Linfield, he concentrated on soccer. As a college freshman, he returned to
Mac High to help coach his former track teammates, as well.
Coaching was part of Adam's plan from the beginning of his college career. His
major changed somewhat, though.
Adam started Linfield planning to major in secondary education. His goal was to
become a high school teacher specializing in his favorite subject, history.
Early in his first year, his advisers suggested elementary education instead.
They offered him a teaching experience in a fifth-grade classroom at Memorial
Elementary in McMinnville - coincidentally, with the teacher he'd had at that
grade level.
"If that fifth-grade room, I saw I could really make a difference in
younger kids' lives," Adam recalled. "I became really attached to
them, and I realized that an elementary teacher is what I wanted to be."
His family members weren't all that surprised by his career choice. "He's
always been a good kid," Uncle Curran said. His father added, "He's
always been good in school. Smarter than his dad!"
Tim went on to say that his son started out as a shy child. But sports helped
Adam blossom into being a leader.
"Especially when his high school soccer coach, Darrin Dilley, had him
playing sweeper. Adam had to speak out and be in charge," Tim said.
Today, Adam is a soccer coach himself. He's been head boys' coach at
Yamhill-Carlton High School for two years and will continue that in addition to
teaching at one of the elementary schools in the district next year.
Adam won a student teaching award for his practicum in Jim Maine's sixth-grade
at Yamhill Elementary School this spring. He also student taught in Mischelle
Rierson's fifth-grade class at Carlton Elementary.
And he spent a month at Grandhaven Elementary in McMinnville working with P.E.
teacher Scott Johnson, whom he calls "a great role model for classroom
management."
Adam, who turned 22 on April 1, was excited about graduation day. Not only was
he finished with college, but he had a lot to look forward, he said.
First, numerous relatives were throwing him a graduation party at the
McMinnville Senior Center. Second, he would be leaving soon for a trip to
Greece and Egypt and a cruise in the Mediterranean - a gift from Grandpa Paul
and Grandma Mickey Howard.
"If I end up teaching sixth grade, a couple of the major units are Greece
and Egypt, so this really is a working trip," he joked.
But the best gift had been having is grandfather, dad, uncles and other
relatives at the graduation itself.
"It's really exciting to share this really awesome moment with them,"
he said. "They've helped push me along.
"That's what's really awesome about our family. "They're really positive
and encouraging and always help you see that you can do something
special."
Dr. Paul E. Howard, 1922-2010
10/6/2010, McMinnville N-R
Memorial services for
Dr. Paul E. Howard of McMinnville will be held on Saturday, October 9, 2010, at
1:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, McMinnville, with the Reverend Kent
Harrop officiating. Private family interment will be at Evergreen Memorial Park
Mausoleum, McMinnville.
Dr. Howard died on October 2, 2010, at Rock of Ages in McMinnville at the age
of 88.
He was born on June
14, 1922, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Henry and Mable Howard. He was
raised in Chicago, Illinois and educated at Loyola University, University of
Chicago and he received his BA Degree from Roosevelt University.
He enrolled in a theological degree program at the Berkeley Baptist Divinity
School where he received both the B.D Degree and the Th.M. Degree.
It was there in Berkeley,
California, that he met Mickey (Myrtle Alice) Iseman, whom he married on July
20, 1946, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After their marriage, he lived for a
time in Berkeley and San Francisco. In 1948 he moved with his wife and small
baby to El Segundo, California, and then in 1952 to Los Angeles near Glendale,
California, where they lived until 1961.
While serving as pastor of churches in the Los Angeles area, he earned the PhD
Degree from the University of Southern California. During those years he was
President of the Los Angeles Lions Club and cooperated with the Los Angeles
Church Federation. He was pastor for ten years of the Atwater Park Baptist
Church in Los Angeles.
In 1961 he was called
to become the pastor of the First Baptist church of Yakima, Washington, where
he was instrumental in leading the church to build a thirteen-story retirement
home next to the church property in downtown Yakima. He also served for three
years as the Vice President of the American Baptist Ministers Association.
In 1965 he accepted an invitation to a professorship in the Sociology
Department at Linfield College and they moved to McMinnville. Dr. Howard taught
for 27 years at Linfield College where he was Professor of Sociology. He served
for many years as the Chairman of the College Redress Committee.
In addition to his
lectures at Linfield, Dr. Howard often lectured on cruise ships as part of the
Cruise Director's Staff. Dr. Howard had traveled in over 100 countries in the
world when he and his wife decided to open a Travel Agency which they operated
for 14 years. He aided her many times as they co-directed tour groups to
Europe, the Middle East, the South Pacific, and China. In addition to his
interest in travel, Dr. Howard had a lifelong interest in photography. He was
an active and faithful member of the First Baptist church and for 25 years a
member of McMinnville's Rotary Club.
Survivors include his wife, Mickey of McMinnville; three sons, Curran Howard,
Steve Howard, Tim Howard; grandchildren, Adam Howard, Jennifer Bryant, Wade
Bryant, and Jessica Bryant and Pam Howard; great-grandchild, Cayd Howard.
He was preceded in death by Jack Howard, his brother.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Paul & Mickey Howard Scholarship
Fund or the First Baptist Church, McMinnville in care of Macy & Son. To
leave private online condolences, please visit www.macyandson.com.
Enthusiasm for new festival
8/20/2011, McMinnville N-R letter to editor
I want to
take the time to personally thank Ruben Contreras for his Herculean effort of
promoting and making sure the second annual Dragging the Gut Festival was such
a success. Joanne and I were not only honored but humbled to be asked to
participate as this year's grand marshals.
As a former Yamhill County Sheriff and career law enforcement officer of more
than 42 years, I have never witnessed such an event where a crowd that size was
so well behaved and enthusiastic about celebrating a piece of community
heritage.
My family and I have lived in McMinnville for more than 61 years, and I have
never seen the community pull together or prosper from a community event like
this. Downtown businesses were flourishing with customers, and the draw from
those out of town made this event even more remarkable.
The event brought back so many memories from my earlier years, and it was
honestly one of the highlights of my life to stroll back memory lane.
Joanne and I especially want to thank the hospitality from Mrs. Mickey Howard,
her son, Tim, and his wife, Jacquie, for the thrill of getting to ride with
such class in their vintage 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. I felt like a kid
again.
Rallying the community around such a special cause as YCAP, especially in these
tough economic times, is just what the community needs - and needs to do more
often. Highlighting local talent, organizations and businesses was brilliant to
say the least.
Community leaders need to take note of this event and pull together their
efforts and resources to seek our more opportunities like this, taking a page
from Ruben's playbook, because this was probably the single most-attended
community event I have witnessed.
Glenn Shipman
McMinnville
