Jackson B. Howard Obituary

Please join us in honoring and remembering Jackson Howard on Thursday, September 7, 2017, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Judge Lynn W. Davis’s courtroom – Fourth District Court of Provo in Courtroom 401. Light refreshments will be served.

June 25, 1926 ~ August 21, 2017

Jackson B. Howard was born in Lynndyl, Utah, on June 25, 1926. His father, Fred William Howard (1884-1955), a railroad man, said, “He came in on the Pacific Limited at 9:15 a.m.” He was the only child of his mother, Vilate Elizabeth (née Bailey, 1886-1977). Soon after he departed this world on August 21, 2017, the valley was a little less bright. It was as if the moon had blotted out the sun for a moment.

Jackson went through the public schools in Provo, during the depression. In 1943, during WWII, he was selected by the United States Navy to become an officer candidate, and was sent to the University of Texas, Austin, as a Midshipman. Jackson graduated with a business degree, and became a naval officer soon thereafter. After an active duty stint, Jackson served in the navy reserve for 30 more years, and retired as a Captain. Service to his country was an important part of his life, and he did many good things to propel the naval service.
In 1946, Jackson married Gloria Russell (1927-2001), daughter of Sidney W. Russell (1886-1975) and Beatrice Sylva (née Moore, 1887-1975). Together, Jackson and Gloria raised six children: Major Jackson R. Howard, USMC (1947-1981) (Naoko Monson), Glorianne H. Bailey (Michael), Judge Fred D. Howard (Carolyn), Dianne Howard, Captain Andrew L. Howard, USN (Mary Ann), and Holly Howard. His children provided him with 26 wonderful grandchildren.

In 1947, Jackson entered law school at the University of Utah. He graduated in December 1949, passed the Utah bar exam, and became a lawyer in 1950. Jackson maintained a law practice in Provo since that date, and was the principal founder of Howard, Lewis & Petersen. Retiring in 2013, the practice of law was the primary undertaking of his life. Jackson received many university honors and professional society and peer awards for his professionalism and contributions to the law. He was admitted to practice law before the bars of the Utah Supreme Court, the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the United States District Court for the District of Utah.

Jackson also maintained a career in banking and was at times a Chairman, President, and CEO for three banks which he helped to establish. In 2016, Jackson was succeeded as Chairman of AmBank by O. Randall Woodbury.

A philanthropist, he was founder of the Jackson Howard Foundation, which has provided substantial funding for many scholarships, charities, and good works, mostly in Utah.

Jackson stated that his greatest achievement was the education of his children, five of whom received advanced degrees, and also the education of his grandchildren. Jackson was close to his family and his family was close to him.

He said of his life, “I had a star and I followed it.”
Family and friends are invited to an open house in his honor on Wednesday, August 30th at the Riverside Country Club, 2701 N. University Ave., Provo at 7:00 p.m. Dress is business casual.
In lieu of flowers, Jackson’s family requests that you donate to the Independence Fund Inc. (independencefund.org) to help our most severely wounded servicemembers better enjoy life; or to a charity of your choice.

Published in Deseret News from Aug. 23 to Aug. 28, 2017