Howard “Howdy” Kirkwood, 94, died on Saturday, June 20, 2009, at the Good Neighbor Home in Manchester. He was born on April 9, 1915, in Hopkinton, Iowa, the son of Howard and Evah (DeShaw) Kirkwood. Howard attended rural school and graduated from Hopkinton High School in 1932. He then graduated from Lenox College in 1934, and continued his education by taking summer classes at Upper Iowa. Howard taught at Bradford, Illinois, until he started farming at Delhi in 1938.
Howard was united in marriage to Clare Adams, of Monticello, on April 5, 1939, at the Presbyterian Church in Monticello. Together they farmed in Delhi until 1943 when they then purchased their present farm near Ryan.
Howard was a member of many organizations including: Hopkinton Lions, Delaware County School Board, Delaware County Health Board, Member United Church in Hopkinton, and Township Assessor for 50 years. In his free time, Howard enjoyed gardening, scrap books, and visiting his family and friends. He always had a good sense of humor.
Survivors include his wife, Clare Kirkwood of Ryan; his daughter, Sharon (Don) Lange of Ryan; his grandchildren, Lance Lange (friend Kathy Hiler) of Delhi; Marcia (Brian) Voelker of Ryan, Gwen Kirkwood, and Brenda Tjaden of Cedar Rapids; his great-grandchildren, Deven, Jenna, Justin, Rachel, Amber, Jasmine, Joseph, Lindsay, Devin, Olivia, Laureen, and Naudia; four great-great-grandchildren; and two sisters-in-law, Marilyn Kirkwood of Hopkinton and Betty (Carl) Wolken of Monticello.
Howard was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Vernon and Maurice Kirkwood; and a son, Barton Kirkwood in 1975.
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