James Michael Howard, father to Kelly and Ryan, passed away unexpectedly on March 14, 2024 (pi day —he would have approved), at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, MI.

An opinionated and strong-willed man, he was also a man of great wit and resilience. James Michael Howard, affectionately known to many as “Jim” and "Pop". Born on November 11th, 1949 in Detroit, Michigan, our dad brought laughter, wisdom, and strong opinions to those who were fortunate to cross his path. He served the Williamstown Township with dedication and passion for 22 years.

He did his best to be a good and dependable father and grandfather to Beckett (17) and Flan (15).

James loved the outdoors and appreciated all things nature. He still identified as a “Parkie” (park ranger) even after many years of being away from the job.

He loved being a park ranger at Brower Park (part of the Mecosta County Parks), and Ryan and Kelly have many fond memories of growing up in the parks (and even some vague memories of illicitly driving golf carts).

James may have been one of the first people to discuss and demonstrate ongoing distress associated with climate change (guess we should have listened to him in the 70s, or at least the 80s!).

While his strong opinions could sometimes make discussions difficult, his heart was always enormous, and he cared about the future of the Earth and all flora and fauna (not just humans) in a deep and profound way.

With his passing, the Earth has lost a champion, a steward, and a beloved “parkie.”

He was a person who gave his entire life to public service, as a park ranger, as a city planner, as a loyal PBS watcher and NPR listener.

He championed the little “mom and pop” stores and did his best to support small business in the age of “big box” stores.

Please help us in remembering his awesomeness as we raise funds to hold a Celebration of Life, and to donate to his local PBS and NPR stations.