Howard was born to Janice P. Fletcher and Howard T. Barnhouse Sr. at Fort Lewis military base on July 23, 1956.
Howard grew up in San Jose, California and attended Camden High School and then joined the U.S. Army where he began his training in Fort Ord, California. Howard was stationed in Germany for his first enlistment. After discharging from the service, Howard married Jeannette Elizabeth Swisher. Howard then reenlisted in the Army and was then stationed in Savannah, Georgia where he was joined by his wife, and daughter Amy Lynn.
After his final discharge from the service he and Jeannette made their home in Jefferson County, where they had two more children; Howie and Elizabeth.
Howard worked for Tony Rodeghier where he learned the trade of masonry. He later became employed at Crown Zellerbach where he worked and became a millwright in the bag factory for almost 30 years. After learning the pulp and paper industry, Howard became a certified welder. He started a mobile welding business called Rocket Welding. He was actually by definition a “Jack of all trades.” If it was broke, he could fix it.
He was a strong follower of safety and always quoted safety terminology that hung in different areas of the mill. When working in his shop, he’d say, “Safety is a must, not a matter of trust.” Or, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Howard was unexpectedly taken from us March 14, 2020. He was at home and with his family. He will be forever missed and never forgotten. Howard is survived by his father, Howard Barnhouse Sr. and Flora Barnhouse, his daughter Amy Swisher (Kithcart), son-in-law Mike Kithcart, son Howard T. Barnhouse III, daughter Elizabeth R. Barnhouse, brothers John E. Barnhouse and Dennis P. Barnhouse, sister Heidi C. Johnson, grandchildren Mikie, Katelynn, Nicholas, Brendan and Julian Kithcart and Keegan Furr, nephews Dennis P. Barnhouse Jr. and Donald P. Kehrli (Johnson), nieces Patricia D. Barnhouse (Travers) and Katie M. Barnhouse. Funeral services will be announced at a later date.
