With sorrow, and his family gathered around him, Howard slipped away peacefully on Sunday February 22, 2026. Howard was born in Paris Ontario, and was a dedicated lifelong dairy farmer, a community man and a good neighbour to many in the Curries and Oxford Centre area, where he lived for the past 62 years. Howard was a member of the Oxford County Plowmans Association, Oxford Soil and Crop, a former 4H leader, and member of the Cockshutt Tractor Club. He was a past member of Curries United Church, Chairman of Pleasant View Cemetery in Curries, and later attended Mount Elgin United Church.

Howard played Slow Pitch Baseball and Hockey in his younger years, enjoyed his hobbies of Antique Tractor Plowing with fellow friends, collecting Antique tractors and had a large collection of toy tractors.

He will be missed by his loving family, his wife and best friend Marlene (Edwards), sons Kevin (Marla) and Kerry (Shannon), grandchildren Aaron (Alicia), Ethan, Blakeley (Christa) and Ryan (Lauren), and his 3 great grandchildren, Danika, Ainsley and Emmett.

Survived by his sister-in-laws Bonnie Boakes, and Janet Clark, brother-in-law Stanley Edwards (Rita) and several nieces and nephews.

Predeceased by his parents Elmer and Martha Boakes, brothers Ken and Melvin.

There will be a Celebration of Life held on Sunday March 29th, 2026 from 1-4 pm with words of Remembrance being read at 2pm, in the Oxford Centre Hall, (Middletown Line and Old Stage Road).

Donations in memory of Howard may be given to Woodstock Hospital or VON Canada, and greatly appreciated by the family VON Canada