Dr. Allan Howe

Dr. Allan Henry Howe, Ph.D.

Evanston –Dr.  Allan Howe, 77, Evanston, passed away Tues. July 2, 2019, at home.  He was born February 5, 1942, in Arlington, VA, to Paul and Dorothy (Powell) Howe.

Allan grew up in Arcadia, CA, was president of his Methodist Church’s young adult fellowship, and graduated 5th in his class from Arcadia High School in 1959.   He went to Stanford University, participated in the Wesleyan Foundation, and graduated in 1963, phi beta kappa.   He voluntarily did two years of alternative to military service for the U.S. government, helping youth on the West Side of Chicago.  He was active in the civil rights movement and community organizing, such as taking youth to hear Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington D.C.,  and helping the oppressed register to vote in Mississippi and on the near West side of Chicago.   He met many young Christians at the West Side Christian Parish.

He married Jeanne Casner on December 25, 1965, and they moved to Elkhart, Indiana, in 1966.  He attended the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, graduated with a Masters in 1969, then moved to Evanston, Illinois, to begin a Doctoral program at Northwestern University’s Garrett Theological Seminary.   He completed his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies in 1978. 

Upon moving to Evanston, they joined Reba Place Fellowship.   Allan went on to provide many services:   leader of the Toad Hall household in the early 1970’s;    social worker at Travelers and Immigrants Aid in Union Station, Chicago, from 1972 to 1976; founding director of the North Suburban Peace Initiative, which led the peace movement and Nuclear Freeze campaign on the North Shore from 1978 to 1988; a decade of working for the Illinois Mennonite Conference as a support for Chicago area pastors; elected leader of Reba Place Fellowship from 2003 to 2009, during which time he founded Plain & Simple Furniture; being Administrator of RPF’s Leadership Team from 2009-2017;  and for over twenty years was chairman of the board of the Reba Early Learning Center pre-school.

Allan is survived by his wife, Jeanne, son Mark (Judy) Howe, their children Colleen & Lily, his daughter Kathleen (Sarah) Howe, their children Connor, Isaiah, Adin, Olivia, Elisa, daughter-in-law Danae Howe, her son Sterling, brother Bruce (Donna) Howe, sister Marcia (Ted) Adams.

He was preceded in death by his parents and son, James Marcus Howe.

Family and friends are invited for a memorial service on Sat., July 13, 2019, at 1:00 P.M. at Reba Place Church.   In lieu of flowers, Allan requested donations to Reba Early Learning Center, www.rebaearlylearningcenter.com.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  Matthew 5:9

Arrangements entrusted to Thompson Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. Mr. Philip L. Gillette ~ Funeral Director

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