It is with heavy hearts the family of Dr. Wayne Howard announce his peaceful passing which occurred on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Born in Glengarry, PE on April 19, 1944, he was the son of the late Bennett and Inez (Butler) Howard. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his siblings, Audrey McKenna (Cyril), Leigh Howard, Desmond Howard (Nadine), Lorne Howard (June), Beverley Howard, Elaine Bulger and Marne Howard and brother-in-law, Gerry Gillis.
He is survived by his children, Anthony (Elisa) Howard of Woodbridge ON, Christine (Scott) O’Neal of Sackville NB, and Kelly (Mario) Sturino of Toronto; and their mother, Lynne Eager (Cullen) of Charlottetown; grandchildren, Simon and Luke Howard, Aidan, Owen, Hannah and John O’Neal, and Patrick, Chloe, and Kate Sturino; siblings, Shirley O’Brien, Charlottetown, Stella Gillis, Charlottetown, and Dale (Bonnie MacNeill) Howard, Glengarry and many nieces and nephews.
Wayne was a man of remarkable intellect and graduated Summa Cum Laude from St. Dunstan’s University and earned a medical degree from Dalhousie Medical school in 1971. He began a family practice in Saint John and later was Chief of Medicine at Centracare Hospital until 1988 when he moved to Sackville and practised family medicine. Wayne was very compassionate and was known for his ‘old school’ style of practice where he often made house calls in the wintertime to his elderly patients living in remote areas. Wayne was an ‘outside the box’ thinker exemplified with his introduction of acupuncture to his medical practice long before it became mainstream. He was an astute diagnostician and cared deeply for his patients. In 2003 Wayne moved to Charlottetown where he wound down his career working for the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Beyond his professional life, Wayne was a man of varied interests. He had a deep appreciation for the past, with a particular fascination for historical political figures, old country music and its singer-songwriters, most notably, Kris Kristofferson. In earlier years he attended many auctions and enjoyed collecting antiques. In later years, Wayne could often be found enjoying a warm breeze, engrossed in a book on a bench in Victoria Row, reflecting his love for literature and history.
Wayne’s greatest joy, however, came from his family. He loved spending time at Lakeside, observing the goings on while sitting quietly under the birch trees. He took immense pride in watching his grandchildren compete in hockey, football, and rugby. Wayne touched many people in his unique way and will be deeply missed by his family and friends. As per Wayne’s wishes, his body was donated to Dalhousie School of Medicine for medical research.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Belvedere Funeral Home at a later date. Donations in memory of Wayne may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be shared on his obituary page at www.belvederefh.com