Howard Amos Randolph

Howard Amos Randolph was born at home on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, WA on June 4, 1921 to Dr. and Mrs. Shirley Randolph. He was the youngest sibling with five older sisters. His father was a dentist practicing in downtown Seattle.

He attended Coe Grade School. At Queen Anne High School he played football, managed the track team, played sousaphone in Queen Anne's marching band and bass viol in the orchestra. He also played bass viol in the Commodore dance band starting as a high school sophomore, continuing through college and after.

At age 12, he joined the Boy Scouts - Troop 65, was awarded Eagle Scout at age 13 ? and attained one palm above Eagle Scout by the time he was 15. His group climbed the six major peaks of the Pacific Northwest under the leadership of Clark Sherman, a well-known mountaineer.

Howard attended the University of Washington, joined Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity and the Naval ROTC. He was on the University's rowing crew and a member of the pickle boat race at San Francisco, setting the record for the four oar shell.

He left the University as a junior to attend two years at Edison Tech majoring in architecture and millwork. In Seattle, Howard joined the Queen Anne Lions Club.

He worked in the shipyards while attending school and in 1942 requested active duty in the US Navy. Letters of recommendation from his former coaches helped him be chosen to attend Physical Instructor's School. He requested overseas duty, was sent to Hawaii where he asked for sea duty. He was assigned to the Yorktown Carrier - attaining the rank of Chief Petty Officer.

Howard married Eileen Betty Leahy in 1944 at the Coronado Naval Chapel in Coronado, CA. Betty lived with Howard's sister in Seattle during his enlistment - until he was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1945.

He and Betty purchased a house in North Seattle where Frank Brooks and Howard began building houses. Betty's uncle, Paul Patrick, asked Howard to come to Quincy and build houses for him. While there, Howard served as president of the Quincy Lions Club.

In 1957, Patrick sold Ephrata Lumber Company to Howard - bringing Wally Wallschlaeger in to run the shop. They began building houses in Ephrata. While there, Howard transferred his Lions Club membership to Ephrata - achieving a lifetime perfect attendance record for nearly 60 years. In Ephrata, Howard and Betty's 2 sons, Kevin and Joel were born.

After the Viet Nam war, Howard hired and trained Viet Nam Veterans. Among them was Gary Trautman. He and Gary soon became not only partners but lifelong friends.

Together, Howard and Gary bought the former B52 Alert Center at the Grant County Airport in Moses Lake, WA. The command center housed 72 people who were brought together with the same Christian beliefs. The road leading to the center was named Randolph Rd. and still remains today. When the Command Center was sold, Howard gave generous amounts of money to his church - The Church of Moses Lake, and to the Boy Scouts, his favorite youth organization where he was a member. Gary and Howard had been partners for 25 years, but Gary left the business to form Basin Insurance in Moses Lake, WA.

Throughout his life, Howard enjoyed many hobbies - music and woodworking (including carving). As a member of the Ephrata Episcopal Church, he carved the altar and laminated various colored woods to carve crosses.

After almost 40 years, Randolph Trading Company closed in 1995.

In 2005, Howard and Mary Lewis, a long-time Group Home owner, foster parent and resident of Soap Lake, were married by the ship's captain aboard the Grand Princess Cruise Ship en route to Europe. They shared 7 special years together.

He celebrated his 90th birthday in June of 2011 at the Oasis Park in Ephrata with many friends and family.

July of 2011, he and Mary moved to Spokane near their daughter Ali, living with only one home between them. Here Howard spent the last year of his life - a place he grew to love so much.

June 4, 2012 he turned 91 and was in a skilled nursing facility while Mary was in rehab at another facility. Ali surprised him and took him on what she described as "a drive along the river". He had no idea he was going to see his bride. The outing can only be described as tearfully tender and sweet.

Later in June, Howard and Mary were both moved to the Spokane Veterans Home where he spent his last couple of weeks. Both rejoiced at finally being together again.

With rapid failing of health over the last year, along with multiple hospitalizations, he passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 22nd, 2012 at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, WA, leaving his wife Mary (still residing at the Spokane Veterans Home), sons Kevin, Joel, Eric, Ted, Don, & daughter Ali, granddaughters Heather and Lindsay, along with many, many other grandchildren, great-grandchildren & friends. Howard made a deep impression on those he knew - changing many lives and hearts. He is sorely missed but we can be assured that in the presence of Jesus he has been made whole and new.

A Military Honor Guard Memorial Service will be held at the: Spokane Veterans Home, 222 E. 5th Ave. Spokane, WA 99202 on Saturday, October 6, 2012. Due to location, starts promptly at 2:00 p.m. - Ends promptly at 3:00 p.m.

For those wishing to make a donation, Howard would be honored to know they went to the Ephrata Lions Club or to the Ephrata Boy Scouts Club. There will be an envelope at the service - or for those living in the Ephrata area, contact the local Lions Club or Boy Scout Club to make your donation.

Howard's remains will be interred at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery, Medical Lake, WA at a later date. There will be no service for his internment.