The "A Great Man Has Left Us! - Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting with the morning newspaper, trying to read the obituary of a good friend, Mr. C. Wendell Howard, whom I knew as a teacher when I was a student in high school; as a fellow teacher when I began teaching at the same high school; as a High School Principal where I taught under him; and as a good friend after we both retired from Manheim Township High School in Neffsville, Pennsylvania.  My story yesterday took you through the many phases of both of our lives ending with the death of Mr. Hower a few days ago at the age of 91.  As I read his obituary I was wondering why it didn't include more of his life, especially the parts that I knew about him.  Yeah, it did tell that he graduated from Lititz High School in 1949 and Franklin & Marshall College in 1953 as well as getting degrees at Temple University and Lehigh University and that he was a math teacher for 9 years, an Assistant Principal and Athletic Director for 5 years before becoming High School Principal for 29 1/2 years before retiring in 1996 after 43 1/2 years at Manheim Township.  The obituary also said that he was a member of the first undefeated football team at Franklin & Marshall College in 1950 and was co-captain of the 1952 team.  In high school he was an official in football, basketball and baseball and was elected to the District III Committee of the PIAA to represent Lancaster and 9 surrounding counties in 1973.  In 1997 he was elected Executive Director and Secretary of the District III Committee, a position he held until 2019.  He was in the F&M, Manheim Township and Susquehanna Chapter Halls of Fame and received the prestigious George Kirchner Memorial Award from the Lancaster Sportswriters Association.  He was the President of the State Principals in 1993-94 and also served on the Lititz Borough Council as President for 6 years.  He served 8 years on the Warwick School Board and was a lifelong member of the Lititz Moravian Church. All of this information was published in his Lancaster Newspaper obituary, but it just didn't seem to be enough to describe this man that I knew for so many years.  The obituary finished with saying there would be no viewing and interment would be in Lititz Moravian Cemetery at the convenience of the family.  In lieu of flowers a contribution in Mr. Hower's memory could be given.  Wow!  That just didn't seem enough for a guy like Mr. Hower.  To me he deserved much more! 

Well, on the FRONT page of the newspaper the following day was what I was hoping for.  The headline read: 'Father figure' mourned, Lauded school administrator, District 3 executive recalled.  The newspaper nailed it with their headline!  The obituary was so long that it carried over to a second page where there was a great photograph of Mr. C. Wendell Hower holding the George Kirchner Memorial Award that he received in 2019 and a second photograph of him when he was a member of the Franklin & Marshall College football team that was the first undefeated football team in their history.

Mr. Hower holding his George Kirchner Memorial Award in 2019

He also happened to be the Captain of that undefeated team.  He was named Associated Press All-Pennsylvania Collegiate Football Team member in 1952.  By that time he had received the nickname of "Moose" which he never relinquished the rest of his life.  But, I could never bring myself to call him "Moose", even though I developed a good friendship with him later in life.  To me he was always Mr. Hower!  He eventually became an official with the PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) in football, basketball and baseball and served on the Lancaster-Lebanon Board of Control.  He was executive secretary from 1973 to 1996 and executive director from 1998 to 2019.  It was said in the article in today's paper that he hardly ever spoke at the meetings, but when he did speak, people listened.  I found it was the same way with me.  

Mr. Hower as a football player at F&M College

When he spoke to me...I listened!  He eventually became a member of the Manheim Township, Franklin & Marshall College and the Susquehanna Chapter Hall of Fame.  In 2019 he received the George Kirchner Memorial Award at the Lancaster County Sports Hall of Fame banquet.  This award is presented each year to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to Lancaster sports, whether it be through achievements on the field or in association with athletics in Lancaster County.  When he received the award he replied that he didn't feel he should have received the award since he wasn't a standout student-athlete or long-tenured coach.  A long time friend of Mr. Hower, Ron Kennedy, said, "That's Wendell!  He's not about himself...he is one of the best around.  I can't think of enough good words to honestly describe him."  We will all miss Mr. Hower.  I can still remember my first year of teaching alongside him at Manheim Towsnhip High School.  Even though I was an equal teacher in name, I was never one in stature compared to him.  There certainly aren't enough good words to describe him.  He meant so much to so many people, including me.  I'll always remember him as someone who took control of a situation, but you never knew it!  His death will certainly be a hugh loss to all who knew him.  RIP, Mr. Hower!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.