We regret to advise of the death of Leslie "Les" Howard on 15 February 2010 at the age of 92 years in Calgary.
Les was born in Aldershot, England and began his military career in 1933 when he enrolled in the Army Technical School (Boys Service) in England. In 1935 he began his service as a Royal Engineer. After taking his recruit training in Chatham he was posted to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1937 where he spent the early war years on searchlight batteries. Returning to England in 1943, he spent the next couple of years in Great Britain and was posted to Egypt in 1947. Postings to Palestine, Greece and Chatham followed, after which he and his family embarked for Canada in 1954 on a two-year exchange posting at the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering at Camp Chilliwack, BC.
Les returned to England in 1957, transferred to the Canadian Army and returned to RCSME within six months. With the exception of two years on Instructional Staff in Saint John, NB, in 1960-1962, the rest of Les's military career was spent at RCSME teaching bridging and mine warfare. In 1969 he was awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration and, on his 52nd birthday, ended thirty-six years of military service.
Following his retirement from the Canadian Army, Les embarked on a second career as a mortgage administrator with The Permanent [now TD Canada Trust]. Following that, he became the administrator for the RAAP program for the City of Chilliwack. Initially enjoying his retirement in Chilliwack, he moved to Calgary in 2008.
A Private Celebration of Les's Life will be held at the Beverly Centre Glenmore (1729 90 Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB) on Thursday, 4 March. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta, 200, 119 - 14th Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1Z6 Telephone: (403) 264-5549 [ www.heartandstroke.ca ] or the Beverly Centre Glenmore (Beverly Auxiliary), 1729 90 Avenue S.W. Calgary, AB T2V 4S1 Telephone: (403) 253-8806, or to the charity of the donor's choice. In living memory of Les Howard, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6 Telephone: 1-800-661-1599.