Joseph Lee Howard, 97, of Wabash County, Indiana, died at 4:45 am, Sunday, February 22, 2026, at The Waters of Wabash West. He was born on October 18, 1928, in Wabash, to Orville Eldon Sr. and Anna Brendice (Currens) Howard.
Joe was a 1947 graduate of Roann High School. He married Maxine Vandegrift in Wabash on October 15, 1948; she died January 14, 2011. Joe worked at the North Central Co-Op Lumber Yard, retiring in 1993 after 23 years. He was a longtime member of the Wabash Friends Church, where he served in the nursery and on the funeral dinner committee. Joe was also on the Wabash 4-H Fair Board for 27 years, longtime member of Farm Bureau, and a former member of the Urbana Lions Club. He enjoyed gardening, crossword and jigsaw puzzles, and was an avid reader. Joe loved spending time with his family and especially enjoyed attending his grandkids’ activities.
He is survived by two children, Becky (Kendall) Pitts of North Manchester, Indiana and Mike (Tammy) Howard of Urbana, Indiana; nine grandsons; Chad (Lea) Howard, Cale (Paige) Howard, Caton (Nicole) Howard, Cameron (Alexis Henry) Howard, Chris (Lora) Cartwright, JP (Dana) Pitts, A.J. (Angie) Cartwright, Tim (Shellie) Pitts, and Seth (Tiffany) Cartwright, 20 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Maxine, three brothers, Eugene Howard, Max Howard, and Orville Howard, Jr., and five sisters, Margaret Barnes, Mary Cline, Betty Jane Howard, Patricia Young, and his twin sister Josephine Pankop.
Funeral services will be 10:30 am, Friday, February 27, 2026, at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Avenue, Wabash, with David Phillips and Brad Merchant officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Lawns Cemetery, Wabash. Friends may call 3-7 pm Thursday, at the funeral home.
Preferred memorials are Wabash Friends Church and Roann Public Library.
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