BRIAN JOHN GERALD HOWELL

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and dear friend, Brian John Gerald Howell, at the age of 63, on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at home, surrounded by loved ones.

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Born on July 4, 1957 in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Brian was the second oldest of seven children. At the age of 20, he moved to Winnipeg with the love of his life, Lynn, and their infant daughter, Stephanie.

Here, they began building their life together, eventually expanding their family with the addition of daughter, Crystal, and son, John.

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Brian’s love of automobiles and mechanics led him to pursue a career at Autoline Products, Ltd as a Production Supervisor, where he dedicated himself to 41 years of service. One of his favourite hobbies was spending countless hours in the garage tinkering with anything that had an engine. In addition to being mechanically inclined, he also taught himself autobody and paint and prided himself in the restoration of many old cars. Brian was a jack of all trades, with a huge heart, and was always willing to help family, friends, and even strangers in any way he could, expecting nothing in return. 

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The most important thing in his life was family. Growing up, Brian was looked up to and respected by his brothers and sisters. When he started his own family, he worked hard to provide for us, so that we would never want for anything. Special memories were made every summer when our family made the 5 day trek by car from Winnipeg to Cape Breton Island, so that he could stay connected with family and friends back home. Throughout his life, travelling with family was something he treasured. He travelled all over Canada, the US and the Caribbean and some of his favourite vacations were trips to Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Tennessee, Wisconsin Dells and Niagara Falls. He also enjoyed weekend fishing trips to Minaki with his son, John. Family barbeques were cherished by Brian. One would never leave hungry, as he grilled enough food to feed an army and he took pleasure in sharing a meal with the people he loved. Throughout his life, he always had a black Lab waiting at his feet for any scraps of food they could scrounge off of him. Brian’s most recent furry companion was Lacey, who will miss him dearly.

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His biggest joy came when his grandchildren Ryan, Nathan, Alyssa and Logan, arrived. Brian adored his grandchildren and was the best Poppy any kid could ask for. Each and every visit included gifts and treats from Poppy. He would do anything for his grandchildren and they had him wrapped around their little fingers. He loved them with all his heart.

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Brian passed away due to a brief and aggressive battle with cancer. Just like he dealt with all experiences in life, he managed his illness with strength and grace and wanted to spend as much time with his loved ones as possible. In his final days, he was surrounded by his family, who adored him more than anything else in the world.

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Brian is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Lynn; daughters Stephanie (Al) and Crystal (Darren); son John (Kinga); and grandchildren Ryan, Nathan, Alyssa, and Logan. He is also survived by his brothers Tommy (Christine), Fred, Gordon (Cindy), George (Myra); and sisters Anne (John) and Mary (Paul); as well as numerous brothers in laws, sisters in laws, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his infant daughter Theresa, his mother Arthena, and father William.

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Due to Covid-19, there will not be a funeral service. A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date. In the meantime, John’s family kindly requests that all of his friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour his memory by watching the photo-biography above. They also encourage the sharing of photos, memories, and stories by making use of the comment section on this page.

We would like to thank the Palliative Care nurses who worked to make him comfortable in his final days. Special thanks to his amigos for all their love and support.

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In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Brian’s memory to Scleroderma Manitoba.

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“If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.”

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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