Sherwin Ward Howard

Sherwin Ward Howard, 65, died Saturday, August 18, 2001 at his home. He had been in treatment for malignant melanoma since January. He lived in the Ogden, Utah area for 21 years and was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He was born in Safford, Arizona. February 19, 1936 to Fred Pack and Beatrice Ward Howard. He married Annette Shoup June 30, 1961 in the Logan L.D.S. Temple. Their children are: Andrea Howard Durrant and granddaughter, Madalyn; John S. Howard; Stephen and Rebecca Howard; David and Kelly Howard and grandson, Benjamin. His brothers and sisters are Elder F. Burton and Caroline Howard, and Phil and Ann Howard Johnson. Brother and sister-in-law are Gary H. and Frances Shoup Richardson.
Sherwin’s elementary education was in Cedar City, Utah and Thermopolis, Wyoming. He attended high school in Powell and Cody, Wyoming, and graduated from Cody High school where he excelled in academics and performing arts
He served a mission for the L.D.S. Church in Virginia and North Carolina. Subsequent church callings were branch president and a variety of positions in music, family history and teaching.
Sherwin graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor of Science in math and physics and a Master of Art in theatre and music. At Utah State he also received a commission in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps and was stationed for two years in Alabama and Maryland. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in playwriting and dramatic literature from Yale University and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Following a 35-year career in higher education, Sherwin retired from Weber State University in February 2001. He was a professor and administrator at Ohio University in Athens and at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. He served as Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Weber State for 12 years. While on sabbatical leave from W.S.U., he was president of Deep Springs College in California for three years. On his return to Weber State, he taught in the Department of Performing Arts and Honors Program and was editor of the journal, Weber Studies.
Sherwin began writing poetry as a child and continued throughout his life. Many of his poems have been published. He wrote several plays and musicals that have been widely produced. His written works have received a variety of awards.
He was recognized on numerous occasions for service, leadership and creativity. Representative of these honors are Utah Poet of the Year, Utah Governor’s Award in the Arts, Utah Musical Theatre Distinguished Service Award, Utah Education Association Honor Roll and Golden Apple Award from the Ogden School District. He received the Higher Education Administrator of the Year Award from the Utah
Alliance tor Arts and Humanities Education and was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International.
In addition to being a writer and educator, Sherwin was an actor, storyteller and public speaker. He had a rich bass baritone solo voice and played piano, saxophone and guitar. He was an avid reader of history, literature and the classics. He respected nature and the environment. He enjoyed making soup, cookies and decorating birthday cakes. He had great love for his immediate and extended family.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd., where there will be a viewing Wednesday evening between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. The funeral, con-ducted by Bishop Rick E. Finlinson, will be Thursday at 11:00 a.m, at the Washington Terrace Tenth Ward, 125 East 5350 South. The family will greet friends at the church beginning at 9:45 a.m. Burial will be in Lindquist’s Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Road.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Utah State Poetry Society, Rosalyn Ostler, Treasurer, 7685 Dell Road, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, or to Melanoma Re-search, Huntsman Cancer Institute, 2000 Circle of Hope, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112.