On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, Howard Hawes at Algonquin Grace Hospice, while holding his wife, Anne’s hand and listening to Scripture lullabies peacefully left this earth to go to his heavenly forever home. As Howard would like to say, he was in his 84th year.
Born on October 2, 1938 to parents Howard Leslie Hawes and Margaret (Rosser) Hawes, he grew up in St. Lambert Quebec. As a child with an adventurous spirit, he loved nature and being outdoors more than school. He joined the workforce at age 14 and completed his schooling by taking night classes. He also served in the Canadian Naval Reserves.
Although he believed in God, he entered into a personal relationship with Jesus when he entered the Anglican Church Army in Toronto (now called Threshold Ministries). Trained as an evangelist, he ministered in Eriksdale, Manitoba and Gaspe, Quebec. He soon felt God’s call on his life to be a missionary and so he enrolled at Toronto Bible College. He served with the Africa Inland Mission (AIM) in Uganda and Tanzania for a total of 7 years. He was ordained in Quebec City as an Anglican priest for the Church of Uganda but was unable to get back because of the Idi Amin regime. He later returned to Uganda to teach at the Bishop Ballyea Theological School. He went to Uganda with 1 child and returned with 3! His first wife, Janice, accompanied him on all these assignments.
Howard served churches in the diocese of Quebec and Montreal. His appointments included the Lower North Shore near the Quebec-Labrador border and several parishes in the Montreal area. His last Quebec assignment was in Richmond (Eastern Townships) where he served in a 5 point parish and was proud to be named an Archdeacon.
People describe Howard as a kind, gentle person. He dearly loved his family and was dearly loved by them. His love relationship with Anne was orchestrated by God and they weathered many storms together. They also experienced great joy as they travelled to visit Nurses Christian Fellowship contacts and attend international conferences. Howard loved having a project. He was a good handyman and built a model train layout, raised garden beds and countless other projects. While in Africa, he designed and constructed an incubator that could be used when there was no electricity. It saved the lives of many premature babies. He was also generous and would rather give items away than sell them.
His first wife died in 2002 and in 2003, he married Anne (Workman) Hawes and moved to Huntsvllle Ontario. He was happy to meet some former friends who had also moved to Huntsville and he made many new ones. He gladly helped out at several Anglican churches in Muskoka and finished his priestly duties at St. George’s Anglican Church, Falkenburg which proved to be a favourite!
Howard is survived by his wife Anne, daughter Ruth Scott (Terry) and son Andrew. He will be missed by granddaughters Victoria, Ashleigh, and Andrianna and grandsons Jacob, Hayden, Brett and Carver. His nine great grandchildren brought him much joy – Sophie, Ryleigh, Charlotte. Beau. Tucker, Colten and Hudsen. He is also survived by brothers Gary and Walter. Predeceased by wife Janice (Allnutt) Hawes, son Timothy, sisters Gwyneth and Marilyn and brother Gerald.
Many thanks to all who have supported Howard on this part of his journey – family, Pastor Timothy Ferrier and friends at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Dr. Devin Brisson, Dr. Deb Harrold, Dr. Isabel Li , and Dr. Ervin gave excellent compassionate care. The staff of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, Algonquin Grace Hospice, the Alzheimer Society, Hope Palliative Care team, Home and Community Support and Closing the Gap (Jamie Robbins) all made life much easier for us. Thanks too, to the pharmacists and staff at Pharmasave Huntsville.
Howard’s favourite Bible verse was Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
Well done, good and faithful servant!
If desired, donations may be made to Algonquin Grace Hospice or Nurses Christian Fellowship Canada.
A service of thanksgiving for Howard’s life will be held at St. Andrew’s Church, 1 High St. Huntsville on Saturday, May 7 at 11 a.m. Because a mask mandate is in place, a celebration with refreshments and time for reminiscing will be held at a later date.
Algonquin Grace Hospice – www.hospiceh@vianet.ca
Nurses Christian Fellowship Canada
38 Clydesdale Rd.
Markham, ON L3R 3S9
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of The Venerable Howard John Richard Hawes 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Huntsville, Province: Ontario