Howard E. “Tex” Haines
Howard E. “Tex” Haines went singing to see his Savior in the early morning of 25 November 2019 after battling bladder cancer.
About 101 years earlier, Chester Clark Haines made a (Meuse-Argonne) battlefield vow to his dying friend that if he ever had a son, he would name him Howard, since he was such a good Christian man. Two years after Chester’s return from WW I France (late 1919), he had married Mary May Morris and they had their first born son in Porum, Oklahoma. They named him Howard E. Haines, 1 August 1921. Howard was the first of three children.
Shortly after Howard arrived, the Haines family moved in with Mary’s parents as her Father was ailing. Howard learned to walk three times because he caught the “fever” twice. After her Father’s death, they moved throughout Eastern Oklahoma and the dust bowl about six times. . They had no electricity, no running water, and no indoor plumbing. The children would do their homework by oil lamp after chores. Their father, Chester, would read the bible every night and ask them questions while they were doing their homework. According to Howard’s brother Lewis, Howard was good at doing math and answering questions. Lewis was not so good at doing both at the same time. The family also practiced music for church twice a week. That’s where Howard learned to play fiddle, guitar, and (surprise to us) piano. The last place they moved was about six miles out of town, where Howard graduated high school in Fort Towsen, OK. He played (6-man) football (he was the center) and baseball (catcher). He rode a horse or walked the six miles to/from school.
Howard attended Murray State School of Agriculture College (Tishomingo OK) on the National Youth Administration (NYA) 3-for-2 Program. He learned photography there. He bought his family a battery-powered radio with his first paycheck as a summer surveyor-the first electrical device in the house (1939). He earned a Shop Teaching degree, and was working on an electrical engineering degree when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. Military services would not take him because of his eyesight. He volunteered for the draft. He joined the US Army Air Corps/Force. After schooling, he served in Company G of the 325th Fighter Group (P47 fighter-bombers) at Millville Army Air Field, Millville New Jersey. The air field was closed in September 1945, and Howard served at other locations until 1946. (The air field is now a museum.)
After the War, Tex worked on car radios and telephones by day, and on an electrical engineering degree at Columbia University in New York City at night while living in New Jersey. He later got a job at Bell Telephone in Passaic, NJ. He left Bell Telephone in Oct 1947, and took a job with RCA working on TVs and telephones for 35 years. Also in November 1947, he married Sophie Zak. They had two children, Howard Jr. and Monica Marie. He bought a house in what became Saddle Brook. While at RCA, Tex served as a reserve policeman, a Boy Scout leader, a member of the Knights of Columbus and American Legion, and was an active member of St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church. Sophie died from complications of an operation in 1964. Tex remarried Clara Dabkowski in 1968. Hobbies included music, photography, cooking, rebuilding houses, and vacationing around the country with his brother Lewis’ family.
Tex added ballroom dancing and flea markets to his activities. He collected old wind-up clocks, cook books, and vinyl records. Tex repaired and gave away clocks. Well, not all of them. There were over 250 working in the house when he moved–he did not like daylight saving time. It took the first three years of retirement to record his 1,200 long playing (vinyl) records onto 453 cassette tapes. As a volunteer at the local senior center, he was the Monday lunch crew supervisor for over 26 years. He and Clara organized bus-load day trips for the seniors (Atlantic City, professional baseball and football games, Radio City Music Hall, etc.). He and Clara went ballroom dancing (or lessons) four nights a week. Tex was president of the local flower club, the Little Nipper (RCA) Retirement Club, and the Bergen-Passaic Commodore 64 (computer) Club, to name a few. They took several trips a year, but always the Jersey Shore for a week in May and September (their wedding anniversary) until Clara died. Tex led a full life.
After two floods in 18 months Tex moved from Ridgefield, New Jersey to Helena Montana. At Touchmark in Helena, he would bake oatmeal pecan cookies to give away. His first apartment was “as far from the mess hall as possible” so he could get a good walk before and after a meal. He made many friends at Touchmark. He came back to the Catholic Church with the help of Fr. Stuart Long. Tex has 4 Grandchildren, 3 Step-grandchildren, and 6 Great Grandchildren. Tex likes to listen to his 1930s-40s music, soak up some sun, eat a good salad and watermelon. He really enjoyed many of the activities at Touchmark especially the singing. He would peddle on the NuStep machine to keep in shape.
He is preceded in death by both parents, his two wives Sophie (Zak, 1964) and A. Clara (Dabkowski 2004), his sister Beulah Lee Walls, brother Lewis C. and sister-in-law Bell (Haines), son Lawrence Haines.
He is survived by his son Howard Jr., daughter Dr. Monica Haines, seven grandchildren (Susanna, Joshua, Bethany, and John Thad Haines), six great grandchildren, and 33 nieces and nephews and their families.
A Vigil Service is set for 6:00 p.m. Monday, December 2, 2019 at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 3rd at the Cathedral of St. Helena, 530 N. Ewing St., with a reception to follow the Mass in the Brondel Center of the Cathedral. Burial with Military Honors will follow the reception at Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to:
*Cathedral of Saint Helena Choir Scholarships, 530 N. Ewing St., Helena, Montana 59601, 406 442-5825 (Scholarships for college students that sing in the Cathedral choir)
*Millville Army Air Field Museum, 1 Leddon Street, Millville Airport, Millville NJ 08332, Ph: 856-327-2347 (www.p47millville.org) (One of the locations where he served in WW II)
*American Legion Post 2, 3095 Villard Avenue, Helena, Montana 59601, (406) 996-1890
Please visit below to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Howard.
Service Schedule
Viewing
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Monday December 2, 2019
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Vigil
6:00 p.m.
Monday December 2, 2019
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Funeral Mass
12:00 p.m.
Tuesday December 3, 2019
Cathedral of St. Helena
530 N. Ewing St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Funeral Reception
Following the Mass
Tuesday December 3, 2019
Brondel Center of the Cathedral
530 N. Ewing St.
Helena, Montana 59602
Burial with Military Honors
Following the reception
Tuesday December 3, 2019
Resurrection Cemetery
3685 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Service Schedule
Viewing
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Monday December 2, 2019
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Vigil
6:00 p.m.
Monday December 2, 2019
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Funeral Mass
12:00 p.m.
Tuesday December 3, 2019
Cathedral of St. Helena
530 N. Ewing St.
Helena, Montana 59601
Funeral Reception
Following the Mass
Tuesday December 3, 2019
Brondel Center of the Cathedral
530 N. Ewing St.
Helena, Montana 59602
Burial with Military Honors
Following the reception
Tuesday December 3, 2019
Resurrection Cemetery
3685 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Share
Laurie House says
Dear Howard and family,
You are in my thoughts and prayers. Tex will be greatly missed. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to get to know him! He always made me smile with his “Holy
Crow!” expression. God Bless.
Wilma Tabaracci says
Oh Howard I am so sorry to hear this news. Tex has a mind of his own and was determined to get from here to there😉. He did love his music and winning in Bingo was such a shock to him. Like Laurie said, “holy crow” was his phrase for great things. You took care of your dad so well!
rose piper says
Howard and Family. Tex was such a wonderful man since the first day I met him.Oh how he loved to bake those cookies and send them off to the grandkids and other family members. He so loved listening to his music and talk about all the wonderful clocks he had and about all. The things that he did thru out his life.You and the hole family will be in my thoughts and prayers for all of you. Rose
Antoinette Corrigan says
Dear Howie and Bonnie,
I am so thankful to have shared many happy times with your father and mother in our younger days. It was with great interest that I read about his life. He sure made the best of it, using the talents God gave him. I wish my husband Walter could have met him, they would have hit it off well.
I am sure he will remain in the hearts of many. May God welcome him into his kingdom and may God bless you.e
Love,
Antoinette
Joan Sommer says
I have very pleasant memories of Uncle Howard that go back to the days of Alberta Drive in Saddle Brook during the Christmas holidays, birthdays, and other celebrations. He was always kind to his many nieces and nephews. It is bittersweet that we have lost the last of our aunts and uncles.
Thomas Osowiecky says
Dear cousins Howard and Bonnie,
Our condolences to you both.
My memories of your father are distant but pleasant. I remember him as always being cheerful, polite and kind. I also remember him as a tall lanky “dude.” It sounds as though he lived his life with enviable fulfillment participating in and accomplishing more than most people even think about. The details shared about his activities and long busy life are indeed enlightening and make good reading.
I am sure he will share Thanksgiving at the table of the Lord. We offer our sincere prayers for his eternal rest.
Mary O’Mealy says
Bonnie ..
Sincere condolence for you and your family.
Your SBGH family miss you and would love to see you. If your ever in the area please reach out. We can get a group together and meet for dinner
Regards old friend,
Mary O’Mealy
Pat Gallagher Kleber says
Bonnie and Howard,
My deepest condolences on the loss of your dad! I have fond memories of playing as children on Jamros Terrace! May all of your wonderful memories help sustain you during this time.
Becky Mehrens says
My sincerest sympathy is with the Haines family. I am forever grateful for the time I was blessed to spend with Tex and Howard Jr. as we praised God while praying the Rosary together. My Mother Mary carry Tex under her Mantle as she leads him to Jesus in Heavenly Paradise.
Sending prayers and compassions to you all. Tex left a very special place in my ❤️. God Bless this holy man!🙏
Barbara Giaquinto says
So sorry. I remember your dad when you all lived next door to me in Saddle Brook. God Bless. Fondly, Barbara
Lisa Jester says
On behalf of the Millville Army Air Field Museum, our deepest condolences. Howard was a lifetime member of our museum and we were honored to meet and spend time with him. He will always hold a very special place in our hearts.
Paula Dickson says
To Tex’s family sorry for you lose. I took care of him for a long time, I still remember after a meal I would ask him how it was and he would say I can’t remember so it must of been good, because you don’t remember if the food is good you only remember the bad food’s. That will always stick with me. He will be missed.
Paula Dickson