Bradley B. Howe

Bradley Bernhardt Howe, the son of Robert and Helen (Bjornstad) Howe, was born March 23, 1949, in Spencer, Iowa. His childhood years were spent in Spencer, where he graduated from Spencer High School in 1967. Brad earned his BA Degree from The University of Iowa and then attended The University of Kansas where he earned his Law Degree. Brad clerked for Justice M.L. (Larry) Mason, an Iowa Supreme Court Justice, in Mason City, IA, for two years following Law School. In 1975, Brad moved back to Spencer and joined the Sackett, Sackett & Hemphill Law Firm. Brad and Janice Johnstone-Youde were married May 11, 1985, at the home of Tom and Katie Howe, of Spencer. Brad remained a partner with Sackett, Sackett, & Howe until 1994, when he joined Redge Berg to form the Berg & Howe Law Firm. His love for the City of Spencer was expressed through his involvement in the Spencer Jaycees, where he served as president from 1982 to 1983, and was an (EXHAUSTED ROOSTER) for many years. Brad served as President of the Spencer Chamber of Commerce and was also active in the Clay County Republican Party, where he served as chairman for several years. He served as City Attorney for several area communities and Assistant City Attorney for Spencer for nearly 30 years. Brad was involved in Crime Stoppers and served as a child advocate through the Juvenile Court System. He was also a Spencer historian and salvaged historic photos of the Spencer business community from the 1950s. In his spare time, Brad enjoyed cooking, especially New England Boiled Dinner, Chicken & Rice Supreme, Gingham Inn Chicken and enormous Thanksgiving turkeys. He also loved entertaining his many friends and family, his dogs, and studying his love of history, especially World War II. One of his most cherished experiences was a trip he and his father took to Europe, where they followed Bobs World War II battle maps from France to Belgium to Germany. Brad and Janice also enjoyed vacationing in the Caribbean and the Florida Keys. They loved road trips in their 1965 Buick Wildcat, especially following old Route 66 from Kansas to California. Brad also enjoyed fishing trips to the back woods of Canada and prairie dog hunting with the (Prairie Doggers.) Brad owned two 1960s era wood boats which he and family enjoyed while spending summers at Lake Okoboji. Brad passed away at home on Saturday, February 11, 2012, at the age of 62. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Elizabeth Howe Gregory, his father-in-law, Robert Johnstone, and his dogs Buckshot, Augie, Ed, Lulu and Edna. He is survived by his wife Janice; son, Erick Youde of Wilmington, NC; daughter, Katie and her husband, Jeff Bohnenkamp of Des Moines, IA; his brother, Tom Howe and wife Katie of Spencer; a nephew, Rob Howe and his wife, Cackie of VA; a niece, Alison Simpson and her husband Scott, of Spencer; his mother-in-law Shirley Johnstone; one great-nephew, Tommy and four great-nieces, Amelia, Katie, Mia and Alison; brothers-in-law: Larry Gregory of Lansing, KS, Fred Johnstone and wife Nina of Stafford, VA, Andrew Johnstone of Cedar Rapids, IA, Tom Johnstone of Sheldon, IA, and his beloved dogs, Jack and Fergi.

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