Howard Lyle Sawyer

Howard Sawyer was a quiet man who valued education and one of his greatest missions in life was to provide a quality education to the students that were placed in his path. He liked to keep to himself yet he was friendly to the people around him, perhaps just warming them with a cheerful greeting or a pleasant smile. Howard was passionate about his work, enjoyed spending time in the great outdoors, and was thankful for his beloved family.

The 1920s are often referred to as the “Roaring Twenties” as they were a time rich in exciting changes within our culture that greatly affected the fabric of this generation. The music of this era included the sizzling sounds of jazz and most of the best-selling pop hits were sentimental ballads. Also during this time, Lyle and Mary (Hanson) Sawyer, of Detroit, Michigan, were preparing for an exciting time within their own family as they were awaiting the birth of their third child. They were truly blessed with the healthy birth of their son, Howard Lyle, on March 29, 1923. As the third of four boys in his family, Howard grew up in the family home located in Detroit where his father worked as a farmer and his mother was a homemaker. By the end of 1929, our country had fallen victim to the Great Depression and many American families were struggling to make ends meet and Howard’s family was no exception. His father worked hard in the farming industry and relocated his family from Detroit to Brooklyn, located to the west of Detroit. Many young people during this time did what they could to help and Howard worked on the farm with his father, establishing a strong work ethic in Howard which would remain throughout his entire lifetime.

Amidst all the work in their family, there was some time for fun too. Howard enjoyed being outdoors and on many occasions, he went hunting with his younger brother, Wright, and his father. Although he and his younger brother we separated in age by ten years, they established a close relationship that they both enjoyed. Their family always liked the companionship of dogs on their farm, touching their hearts in a way that only a pet can. As a student, Howard attended local schools and he eventually graduated from a high school in Detroit.

A short time later, Howard enlisted in the United States Navy, on May 8, 1944, and he served his country for a short period of time. He discovered that being in the military wasn’t a good fit for him as he preferred to make his own choices and didn’t particularly like following such strict orders. Howard was then discharged on December 20, 1945, and his patriotic spirit remained throughout the rest of his life.

Education was important to Howard and he was able to use his GI Bill to attend college. He earned a degree in elementary education with a minor in religion from Hillsdale College. His degree set the precedent in his family as many of his brothers soon followed in his footsteps and went to college and entered the teaching field as well. Later, even many of his nieces and nephews did this very same thing. With his degree, Howard began teaching and it soon became his passion. Primarily, Howard taught fifth grade but in both Brooklyn and Jackson, he served as the school principal for a time. He found that administration wasn’t where he wanted to be as his heart was truly in reaching the students.

Of great significance during this time, was his introduction to a delightful young woman named Coline Hunnicutt through some friends in Detroit. A romance soon blossomed between Howard and Coline and they were united in marriage on August 7, 1948, at the West Lawn Methodist Church in Detroit. In 1952, they were blessed with the birth of their only child, their daughter Suzanne. Howard and Coline enjoyed a fulfilling marriage as they were similar in their personalities; they both were rather private people who often kept to themselves. In 1971, Howard moved his family to Kalamazoo where he worked for the Kalamazoo Public School System and later retired, after 32 years of teaching.

Teaching was a big part of Howard’s life, but he did also enjoy some additional interests. He loved Big Band music, especially Glenn Miller, who was one of the best-selling recording artists during the late thirties and early forties. Howard still enjoyed being outside and especially took great pride in caring for his yard.

Life changed for Howard when his wife died of cancer. Unfortunately, about five years ago, Howard began to experience medical challenges of his own as he began showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease. He managed his illness well, however, and he became a very outgoing person as a result of his illness. Neither Howard nor his wife ever sought the care of a doctor and after living with his illness for a time, his body eventually gave up the fight.

Howard Sawyer was a gifted teacher who touched the hearts and lives of so many students throughout his career. He was a private person, yet he was also friendly and he was a bit “set in his ways,” although only in the sense that he valued routines, traditions, and the way things had always been. Howard was a bit of a free spirit and liked to do things his own way and he had a deep love for his country, his students, and his family. He will be dearly missed.

Howard Lyle Sawyer died June 11, 2009, in Portage. Howard’s family includes his daughter, Suzanne (Jack Gernaat) Sawyer-Gernaat, a brother, Wright (Mariam) Sawyer; 4 nephews: David, Stephen, Matthew and Tim; a sister-in-law, Betty (Jim) Vick and by a niece, Valerie. Services will be held Friday at 1:00 p.m. at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes - Paw Paw, MI, 60900 M-40, 657-3870. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com, where you can archive a memory or photo, sign his memory book, or make a memorial contribution to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan.