Died in OKC Bombing. Was 45 years old and from Vallejo, California.
Published in The Daily Oklahoman newspaper.
George Michael Howard, 45, had transferred to the Department of Housing and Urban Development office in OKC on April 3, to escape the crime and high prices of San Francisco, and to be closer to his ailing father in Dallas.
Howard, who was one-quarter Cherokee, was a community development planning representative for HUD's Office of Native American Programs. His wife, Perla Howard, also works for HUD and has a master's degree from OK State University. They were married in Stillwater.
Perla Howard said her husband was as generous as he was impulsive. Last Christmas he took two fatherless neighborhood kids to see "The Nutcracker".
"It was something he just decided he was going to do," she said. "He said every child should see that ballet in their youth."
Friends remember him as a caring neighbor and a no-nonsense worker who was devoted to his job.
George M. Howard, 45, of Vallejo, CA; husband of Perla Howard; son of George L. Howard of Dallas; community planning and development representative, Office of Southern Plains Native American Programs, HUD.
Tired of skyrocketing crime and the high cost of living in the San Francisco Bay area, George Howard put in for a HUD transfer. He chose OKC because of its proximity to Dallas, where his father, recently widowed, makes his home.
When the bombing occurred, George had been working in Oklahoma City for barely 2 weeks. His wife, Perla, remained in Vallejo. Perla and George met in the Philippines in 1977; they married in Stillwater in 1987. Perla recalls her husband as a funny, energetic, spontaneous man who co-founded a motorcycle group called the Bureaucratic Bikers and once delivered 26 boxes of chocolate truffles to his wife after she mentioned her fondness for the candy.
A former Peace Corps member, Vietnam veteran, and public servant who worked much of his government career on behalf of Native Americans (George was one-quarter Cherokee himself), “His life was devoted to a large degree to doing things for other people,” said Perla.
In Vallejo, the city has planted two redwoods in George’s memory in a small park that faces the Howard home. The redwoods acknowledge the contribution George made in both ridding Louisiana Street of drug activity and helping the community regain control of the park.
And though the Howards had no children, George loved them nonetheless. In the Philippines, he worked on a program that provided milk to thousands of children; in Vallejo, he was known for reaching out to fatherless neighborhood kids. “He understood how important childhood was,” said Perla, and he believed, “People should be treated like stained glass windows. We must look at them in the best light.”
Published in the Oklahoma Today magazine, Winter 1996 issue.
Published in The Daily Oklahoman newspaper.
George Michael Howard, 45, had transferred to the Department of Housing and Urban Development office in OKC on April 3, to escape the crime and high prices of San Francisco, and to be closer to his ailing father in Dallas.
Howard, who was one-quarter Cherokee, was a community development planning representative for HUD's Office of Native American Programs. His wife, Perla Howard, also works for HUD and has a master's degree from OK State University. They were married in Stillwater.
Perla Howard said her husband was as generous as he was impulsive. Last Christmas he took two fatherless neighborhood kids to see "The Nutcracker".
"It was something he just decided he was going to do," she said. "He said every child should see that ballet in their youth."
Friends remember him as a caring neighbor and a no-nonsense worker who was devoted to his job.
George M. Howard, 45, of Vallejo, CA; husband of Perla Howard; son of George L. Howard of Dallas; community planning and development representative, Office of Southern Plains Native American Programs, HUD.
Tired of skyrocketing crime and the high cost of living in the San Francisco Bay area, George Howard put in for a HUD transfer. He chose OKC because of its proximity to Dallas, where his father, recently widowed, makes his home.
When the bombing occurred, George had been working in Oklahoma City for barely 2 weeks. His wife, Perla, remained in Vallejo. Perla and George met in the Philippines in 1977; they married in Stillwater in 1987. Perla recalls her husband as a funny, energetic, spontaneous man who co-founded a motorcycle group called the Bureaucratic Bikers and once delivered 26 boxes of chocolate truffles to his wife after she mentioned her fondness for the candy.
A former Peace Corps member, Vietnam veteran, and public servant who worked much of his government career on behalf of Native Americans (George was one-quarter Cherokee himself), “His life was devoted to a large degree to doing things for other people,” said Perla.
In Vallejo, the city has planted two redwoods in George’s memory in a small park that faces the Howard home. The redwoods acknowledge the contribution George made in both ridding Louisiana Street of drug activity and helping the community regain control of the park.
And though the Howards had no children, George loved them nonetheless. In the Philippines, he worked on a program that provided milk to thousands of children; in Vallejo, he was known for reaching out to fatherless neighborhood kids. “He understood how important childhood was,” said Perla, and he believed, “People should be treated like stained glass windows. We must look at them in the best light.”
Published in the Oklahoma Today magazine, Winter 1996 issue.
Died in OKC Bombing. Was 45 years old and from Vallejo, California.
Published in The Daily Oklahoman newspaper.
George Michael Howard, 45, had transferred to the Department of Housing and Urban Development office in OKC on April 3, to escape the crime and high prices of San Francisco, and to be closer to his ailing father in Dallas.
Howard, who was one-quarter Cherokee, was a community development planning representative for HUD's Office of Native American Programs. His wife, Perla Howard, also works for HUD and has a master's degree from OK State University. They were married in Stillwater.
Perla Howard said her husband was as generous as he was impulsive. Last Christmas he took two fatherless neighborhood kids to see "The Nutcracker".
"It was something he just decided he was going to do," she said. "He said every child should see that ballet in their youth."
Friends remember him as a caring neighbor and a no-nonsense worker who was devoted to his job.
George M. Howard, 45, of Vallejo, CA; husband of Perla Howard; son of George L. Howard of Dallas; community planning and development representative, Office of Southern Plains Native American Programs, HUD.
Tired of skyrocketing crime and the high cost of living in the San Francisco Bay area, George Howard put in for a HUD transfer. He chose OKC because of its proximity to Dallas, where his father, recently widowed, makes his home.
When the bombing occurred, George had been working in Oklahoma City for barely 2 weeks. His wife, Perla, remained in Vallejo. Perla and George met in the Philippines in 1977; they married in Stillwater in 1987. Perla recalls her husband as a funny, energetic, spontaneous man who co-founded a motorcycle group called the Bureaucratic Bikers and once delivered 26 boxes of chocolate truffles to his wife after she mentioned her fondness for the candy.
A former Peace Corps member, Vietnam veteran, and public servant who worked much of his government career on behalf of Native Americans (George was one-quarter Cherokee himself), “His life was devoted to a large degree to doing things for other people,” said Perla.
In Vallejo, the city has planted two redwoods in George’s memory in a small park that faces the Howard home. The redwoods acknowledge the contribution George made in both ridding Louisiana Street of drug activity and helping the community regain control of the park.
And though the Howards had no children, George loved them nonetheless. In the Philippines, he worked on a program that provided milk to thousands of children; in Vallejo, he was known for reaching out to fatherless neighborhood kids. “He understood how important childhood was,” said Perla, and he believed, “People should be treated like stained glass windows. We must look at them in the best light.”
Published in the Oklahoma Today magazine, Winter 1996 issue.
Published in The Daily Oklahoman newspaper.
George Michael Howard, 45, had transferred to the Department of Housing and Urban Development office in OKC on April 3, to escape the crime and high prices of San Francisco, and to be closer to his ailing father in Dallas.
Howard, who was one-quarter Cherokee, was a community development planning representative for HUD's Office of Native American Programs. His wife, Perla Howard, also works for HUD and has a master's degree from OK State University. They were married in Stillwater.
Perla Howard said her husband was as generous as he was impulsive. Last Christmas he took two fatherless neighborhood kids to see "The Nutcracker".
"It was something he just decided he was going to do," she said. "He said every child should see that ballet in their youth."
Friends remember him as a caring neighbor and a no-nonsense worker who was devoted to his job.
George M. Howard, 45, of Vallejo, CA; husband of Perla Howard; son of George L. Howard of Dallas; community planning and development representative, Office of Southern Plains Native American Programs, HUD.
Tired of skyrocketing crime and the high cost of living in the San Francisco Bay area, George Howard put in for a HUD transfer. He chose OKC because of its proximity to Dallas, where his father, recently widowed, makes his home.
When the bombing occurred, George had been working in Oklahoma City for barely 2 weeks. His wife, Perla, remained in Vallejo. Perla and George met in the Philippines in 1977; they married in Stillwater in 1987. Perla recalls her husband as a funny, energetic, spontaneous man who co-founded a motorcycle group called the Bureaucratic Bikers and once delivered 26 boxes of chocolate truffles to his wife after she mentioned her fondness for the candy.
A former Peace Corps member, Vietnam veteran, and public servant who worked much of his government career on behalf of Native Americans (George was one-quarter Cherokee himself), “His life was devoted to a large degree to doing things for other people,” said Perla.
In Vallejo, the city has planted two redwoods in George’s memory in a small park that faces the Howard home. The redwoods acknowledge the contribution George made in both ridding Louisiana Street of drug activity and helping the community regain control of the park.
And though the Howards had no children, George loved them nonetheless. In the Philippines, he worked on a program that provided milk to thousands of children; in Vallejo, he was known for reaching out to fatherless neighborhood kids. “He understood how important childhood was,” said Perla, and he believed, “People should be treated like stained glass windows. We must look at them in the best light.”
Published in the Oklahoma Today magazine, Winter 1996 issue.
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