Obituaries

Stuart “Stu” Hayden Howes, 86, died on April 6, 2022, in Elgin, Illinois. He is survived by his wife Melinda, sons Hayden (Claire) and Chris (Meg), grandchildren Connor (Stephanie), Maggie, Sydney, Ethan, Riley, Mackenzie, and Hunter, and sisters Ruth and Susan. He is predeceased by his parents and brothers, Ted and Steve.

Stu was born on June 6, 1935, in Ithaca, New York. He was the second oldest of five siblings: brothers Ted and Steve and sisters Ruth and Susan. The family moved to Hamburg, New York, when he was in ninth grade.

Stu attended Bowling Green State University, graduating in 1958 with a degree in marketing. After graduation, he returned to upstate New York and worked with his father in advertising. He and his father shared a love of music, as did his older brother, Ted.

In addition to Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) in college, Stu proudly served for six years in the Army Reserves. He retired with a rank of Captain.

In 1960, he moved to Chicago to work at Continental Casualty Company. A fortuitous move to Washington National Insurance Company led to meeting his wife, Melinda. They were married on August 18, 1962, at the First Presbyterian Church in Evanston. 2022 marks their 60th year of marriage.

Starting a family included early moves from Evanston to Cleveland to Peoria. Sons Gregory Hayden and Christopher James arrived in 1963 and 1965. One more move to Libertyville, Illinois, in 1969 landed them in the place they would call home for the next 37 years.

They joined the First Presbyterian Church in Libertyville in 1970. Stu served on the Board of Deacons and the Board of Trustees, and he was also an Elder on the Session. He was incredibly proud to serve as chair of the church’s 125th celebration. Stu and Melinda also served as advisors for the Youth Group when their sons participated.

Service through Rotary International was a big part of Stu’s life, both with the Libertyville Noon Club and the Libertyville Sunrise Club, the latter of which he established in 1987. He served in many roles, including President of the Libertyville Noon Club, historian, and group representative for several Rotary district governors. He proudly became a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, as did his wife and sons. Another part of his time in Rotary included arranging cultural experiences for exchange students, such as taking a group of students to Devils Head resort in Wisconsin for a weekend ski trip.

Stu enjoyed coaching Little League baseball and Libertyville Boys Club Football. He also served as director of the Senior Little League.

A long and successful career at American United Life Insurance Company started in 1976. He was a trusted advisor to many clients and their families for more than 40 years, retiring fully just last year. He and Melinda also discovered a love for travel at AUL, as Stu qualified for many sales conferences, both nationally and internationally.

A true passion for skiing developed in the early ‘80s and extended well into Stu and Melinda’s retirement years. Stu excelled in planning ski trips for the groups they joined: Schussers and Snowseekers. He planned more than 60 trips for groups as large as 60 people.

In 2006, Stu and Melinda moved away from Libertyville and found a new community in Elgin, Illinois.

Stu always had a smile and hug ready for anyone he met. He was at his happiest when his family was gathered together, whether for a holiday meal, an event connected to one of his grandchildren, or a cookout in the backyard. Time together filled his heart.

Visitation will be on Wednesday, May 4th from 10:00-11:00am at the Fox Valley Presbyterian Church, 227 East Side Drive, Geneva, IL. A service will take place onsite at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, Stu’s family suggests donations to the Fox Valley Special Recreation Foundation. www.fvsrf.org/give . FVSR Foundation, 2121 W. Indian Trail Road, Aurora, IL. 60506.

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