Gary Dean Howey

Gary Dean Howey, the son of George William and Enid Claire (Benton) Howey was born December 28, 1937, on the family farm north of Adair, Iowa in Guthrie County. He was the fourth of five children and was certainly the tallest, towering at 6’5”. Gary died March 27, 2021, at his home in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 83 years, 2 months, and 29 days.

Gary attended rural school at Bear Grove #8 which was located across the road from the family farm and then graduated from the Guthrie Center Community Schools with the High School Class of 1955. Gary moved to Omaha, Nebraska and was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad programming IBM machines for a short time. He then was employed by Fairmont Foods where he worked in the keypunch and computer programming departments and later became the corporate manager.

Gary met Evelyn Frances Love and four months later they were united in marriage on March 1, 1958, at the Methodist Church in Louisville, Nebraska. They were blessed with three children Teresa, Michael, and Patrick. Fairmont Foods moved Gary to their Kansas City location where they lived for four years. He then had the opportunity to move back and operate the family farm in Guthrie County. He moved the family back to Iowa where they grew row crops and raised livestock for over 15 years until Gary had to retire from farming due to his failing health. Gary and Evelyn purchased a small motel in Hampton, Iowa which they operated for over 25 years until they retired in 2011 and moved to Audubon, Iowa. Gary enjoyed using his computer for work and play creating elaborate spreadsheets to record medical data and his vital signs, which he collected on a daily basis. Evelyn died February 12, 2021.

He was a bigger than life man and lived his life on his own terms. He walked tall and apologized to no one.

Gary was preceded in death by his wife Evelyn Howey; his parents; his brother Frank Howey; his two sisters Betty Morgan and D. Joan Murphy; his mother-in-law and father-in-law Glen and Viola Love; his brother-in-law Clarence “Butch” Love.

Survivors include his children Teresa and husband Jim Eddy of Audubon, Iowa, Michael Howey and friend Kelly Halfpop of Belmond, Iowa, and Pat and wife Carol Howey of Stuart, Iowa, his seven grandchildren Brett and wife Diana Eddy of Audubon, Iowa, Alyse and husband Craig Burns of Casper, Wyoming, Aaron Eddy and friend Jackie Karns of Audubon, Iowa, Kendra Howey of Meservey, Iowa, Jacob and wife Jessica Howey of Humboldt, Iowa, Kaleb and wife Kelsey Howey of Marion, Iowa and Benjamin Howey of Stuart, Iowa; 12 great grandchildren; his sister Charlene and husband Pete Brady of West Des Moines, Iowa; his sisters-in-law Glenda and husband Robert Turner of Milton, Florida and Betty Anne and husband Kirby McGill of Missouri; his brother-in-law Eddie Morgan of Grimes, Iowa.

The family will meet with friends Tuesday morning March 30, 2021, from 9:30 A.M. until the time of the service at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Reverend Philip Beisswenger on March 30, 2021, at 10:30 A.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa. Interment will be in the Union Township Cemetery in rural Guthrie County. The casket bearers will be Brett Eddy, Aaron Eddy, Jacob Howey, Kaleb Howey, Benjamin Howey, Rick Morgan, Roger Morgan and Craig Burns.