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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE and CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALLAN HOWE
WHEREAS, Allan Howe, a religious leader and peace activist, died at the age of 77 in his home in Evanston, Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Allan was born in 1942 to Paul and Dorothy (Powell) Howe. He grew up in Arcadia, California where he was an accomplished student. He was president of his Methodist Church’s young adult fellowship, graduated 5th in his class from Arcadia High School in 1959, and attended Stanford University where he participated in the Wesleyan Foundation and graduated phi beta kappa in 1963; and
WHEREAS, from an early age, Allan was committed to social justice and peace. He did two years of volunteer service as an alternative to military service, helping youth on the West Side of Chicago. He was active in the civil rights movement and community organizing, such as taking youth to hear Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C.; and helping the oppressed register to vote in Mississippi and on the near west side of Chicago. He met and worked with many young Christians at the West Side Christian Parish; and
WHEREAS, Allan married Jeanne Casner on December 25, 1965. They moved to Elkhart, Indiana in 1966 where he attended the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. After graduating with a Masters Degree in 1969, they moved to Evanston, Illinois to begin a Doctoral program at Northwestern University’s Garrett Theological Seminary. He completed his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies in 1978.; and
WHEREAS, upon moving to Evanston, Allan and his wife joined Reba Place Fellowship. He provided leadership and aid to others in many capacities: as leader of the Toad Hall household in the early 1970’s; as a social worker at Travelers and Immigrants Aid in Union Station, Chicago from 1972 to 1976; as a founding director of the North Suburban Peace Initiative, which led the peace movement and Nuclear Freeze campaign on the North Shore from 1978 to 1988; working for the Illinois Mennonite Conference as a support for Chicago area pastors; as an elected leader of Reba Place Fellowship from 2003 to 2009, during which time he founded Plain & Simple Furniture; as Administrator of RPF’s Leadership Team from 2009 to 2017; and, for over twenty years, as chairman of the board of the Reba Early Learning Center pre-school; and
WHEREAS, Reba Place began as a Fellowship of believers who committed to joining the common treasury and moving into shared housing in the Mennonite tradition of meeting often, asking for grace, admonishing each other, and “hold(ing) all things in common for the sake of those in need.” Rapid growth before and during the Vietnam War led to challenges for the community. This led to the formation of the Reba Place Church, a Mennonite congregation that people could join without being a part of the Fellowship. In these years, the Reba Place members continued the Fellowship’s day-care center and other programs, while also organizing refugee resettlement efforts and launching projects to serve people with disabilities and experiencing homelessness. They also experienced challenges over women in leadership roles and in trying to become a convincingly interracial congregation. At its 50th anniversary celebration, Allan reflected aloud, “It is a marvel and a miracle that Reba Place has continued as one people.” The response was a resounding “Hallelujah!”; and
WHEREAS, Alan, through his work at Reba Place and beyond, has touched and improved the lives of many people; and
WHEREAS, Allan is survived by his wife, Jeanne; his son Mark (Judy) Howe, their children, Colleen and Lily; his daughter Kathleen (Sarah) Howe, their children, Connor, Isaiah, Adin, Olivia, and Elisa; his daughter-in-law, Danae Howe, her son, Sterling; his brother, Bruce (Donna) Howe; and his sister, Marcia (Ted) Adams. He is preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Dorothy (Powell) Howe, and his son, James Marcus Howe;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners of Cook County, on behalf of the 5.2 million residents of Cook County, commemorates the life of ALLAN HOWE, and herewith expresses its sincere gratitude for the years of service he gave to the Citizens of Cook County, Illinois; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body and that an official copy of the same be tendered to the family of ALLAN HOWE.
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