Samuel T. "Sam" Howie

The Atlantic Beach community lost an outstanding citizen, World War II hero and significant member of the Greatest Generation with the passing of Samuel Thomas Howie on August 9, 2013 at the McGraw Center of Community Hospice in Jacksonville. He was revered, loved and will be deeply missed by his widow, his children, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren. Sam Howie was born Dec. 30, 1918, in Charleston, W. Va. He graduated from Charleston High School in 1937 and studied accounting at Kanawha Junior College and Morris Harvey College in Charleston. He worked as an accountant before joining the Army Air Corps in 1942. Sam achieved the rank of Lieutenant and flew P-38 fighter planes in 86 combat missions with the 339th squadron of the 347th fighter group. He was credited with shooting down four enemy planes, including three in one mission over the Solomon Islands during the Guadalcanal campaign. For his heroic flying, Sam was awarded the Asia-Pacific Service Medal, an Air Medal with eight oak-leaf clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He returned to the United States to train pilots. Among those he trained were the members of an African-American squadron who themselves gained heroic status in the all-black 332nd Fighter Group, popularly known as the Tuskegee Airmen. After the war, Sam married Marjorie Evelyn Wyatt in North Carolina in 1946. They had two daughters, Evelyn Ann Howie Hankinson and Marjorie Jean Howie Babcock. Sam was predeceased by his wife, Marjorie Evelyn Howie; daughter, Marjorie Jean Babcock; brother, Frank Howie and sister, Kathleen Schooley Guzeika. Sam moved his family to Jacksonville in 1952, where he worked as a sales representative and business owner in the aluminum and carpet industries in the Jacksonville area for more than 30 years. He owned and operated the James Stevens Co from 1972-1989. He was a resident of Atlantic Beach for more than 50 years. He had joined the Elks Lodge at the age of 21 in 1939 and was made a life member of Jax Beach Lodge No. 1901 in 1986. Sam married Theresa Dampier “TD” Lockwood in 1975. He is survived by his widow, his daughter Ann, stepchildren Robbie Lockwood Rodgers and Gary E. Lockwood, grandchildren Brandy Stoll Coleman, Kai Hankinson, Heidi Hankinson and Sean Hankinson, and great-grandchildren Alexis Thraen, Ethan Coleman, Michael Coleman, Alexandra Jean Albuerne, Mia Christine Albuerne and Kaiden Hankinson and step-grandchildren Jennifer Single Goins and Scott Single, nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 16, 2013 at the Jacksonville National Cemetery, 4083 Lannie Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32218. Dr. Tim McDaniel will officiate and military honors will be conferred. In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida or a charity of your choice. Please sign the family’s online guestbook at www.broadusraines.com. Arrangements under the care of Broadus-Raines Funeral Home, 501 Spring St, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043 (904) 284-4000.