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Littleton, NH — Lon W. Howard, M.D., 64, of Littleton, NH, died on Saturday, October 27th, at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, after a long struggle with MDS. He was born in February 1948 in Beverly, MA, the son of Richard and Lorraine (Gagnon) Howard. Dr. Howard graduated from Peabody High School, and Beverly Cooperative Trade School in 1967 as a machinist. Immediately following he enlisted in the Air Force and served first in Vietnam and then in Germany where he worked as an Orthopedic Technician and found his true calling. He was also a member of the Air Force ski team and competed in the first NATO ski meet, and on the Air Force football team where he earned a scholarship to play for the University of Rhode Island. After graduating from the URI with a BS in Zoology, he earned his internship and one year of General Surgical Residency at Dartmouth, and finally realized his dream and completed his Orthopedic residency in 1988 at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. This was where he met and married his beloved wife and princess, Kimberly Thrasher. In June of 1988 he moved to Littleton, NH, and had dedicated the last 24 years to tirelessly serving his family, friends and community, and to providing exemplary orthopedic care to the people of the North Country. His many accomplishments include being a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons; Board of Counselors for the AAOS; President of the New Hampshire Medical Society; President of the Grafton County Medical Society; Member of the Board of Trustees of Littleton Regional Hospital; Surgical Staff President; Emergency Medical Services Citizen of the Year; Member of the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church; Enthusiastic participant in all things sporting: football, rugby, soccer, basketball, tennis, golf and skiing. Volunteer coach for baseball, soccer and football; Devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, mentor, and friend. He has touched the lives of many and will be fondly remembered for his determination, his integrity, his unfailing sense of humor, his compassion, and his uncanny ability to reach people on a very personal level. As he was fond of saying, “The most important part of caring for your patients is caring for your patients.”
Lon is survived by his wife Kim, his three loving children, Keli and husband Chris Davies of Milton Keynes, England, Lon Wesley “Wes” Howard II, and Luke Thrasher Howard, and his beloved granddaughter Madeleine Davies, his brother Keith Howard and his wife Kathy of Littleton, a sister Cheryl Jedry of Virginia, many nieces, nephews and countless friends.
ARRANGEMENTS: There will be a memorial service and Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 12:30 PM, on Saturday, November 3rd, at the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Littleton, NH, with Father Mark Dollard officiating. A reception and Celebration of Life will be held at the Mountain View Grand Hotel in Whitefield, NH. To honor Lon's love of both teaching and medicine, a scholarship is being set up in his name at Passumpsic Bank, 81 Meadow Street, Littleton, NH, 03561. The Ross Funeral Home, Littleton Chapel has the privilege of these arrangements. To offer your condolences to the family please visit www.rossfuneral.com
