Robert “Bob” Howle recently passed back into Mother Gaia after a battle with esophageal cancer. A doting husband, supportive dad, loving stepdad, affectionate grandpa, self-professed guru, and Sovereign Leader of the Fictional Nation of Bobdamistan, Bob was into what we call “aggressive friendship.” If you were standing nearby, looked as though you needed any assistance whatsoever or merely an ear, Bob was here for friendship, whether you thought you needed it at the moment or not. More often than not, this led to many conversations, great alliances formed, and a lot of goodwill.
Bob was born in Newport News, Va., to Col. Paul and Annie Margaret Howle. A true baby boomer and hippie child of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Bob had Forrest Gump-like stories for many famous cultural events from his youth (Whether they were always true or not, he refused to reveal).He lived everywhere from Japan to Los Angeles and Colorado, and even Minnesota during his lifetime, eventually settling into his beloved Eureka Springs with his wife, Connie, and daughter, Ellie, in 2005.
Bob and Connie met on Match.com in 1997. The early adopters made one another laugh immediately. Their strong bond, shared love of kids and many animals, hours of porch time with a cold glass of wine, inside jokes, and great love did not stop through many adventures, ups, downs, and in-betweens for 22 years.
Bob was a proud Unitarian Universalist. A reformed Southern Baptist who never truly got over his childhood hang-ups, his favorite phrase was, “It’s not a sin if you don’t get caught.” Some of Bob’s other favorite philosophies came from paganism, Buddhism, Liberalism, the Grateful Dead, science fiction, HAM radio, and a never-ending zest for knowledge. As Bob would quote, “What a long, strange trip, it’s been!”
Bob is preceded in death by his infant son, Aaron. He survived by his wife, Connie; daughter Ellie and her husband, Jake; stepson Charles and his wife, Kristin; and grandchildren Landon, Cooper, and Kinsley.
Bob’s family gives massive thanks to their beautiful community, friends, and neighbors during this difficult time. Bob was a landlord in life with a tremendous soft spot in his heart for women and children. If you wish to send something in place of flowers, please donate to The Purple Flower, 109 W. Church Ave., Berryville, Ark. 72616, a non-profit organization that offers resources to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
A celebration of Bob’s life will be held at a later date. Details will be determined when it’s appropriate to do so. Still, festivities will include plenty of Grateful Dead music, boxed wine, and a good old-fashioned soul food potluck (Bob’s favorite).