Remembering Ed Howard: A Multi-Generational Life in Scarsdale
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Longtime Greenacres resident and member of Scarsdale Golf Club Ed Howard passed away this week. Read this account of his life, reprinted from Legacy.com.
Edwin Brown Howard Jr. (June 24, 1941 - August 2, 2023)
Edwin Brown Howard Jr., a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and active member of the community, passed away peacefully from brain cancer on August 2, 2023 surrounded by his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Alice Robbins Howard, their children Heather Howard (Princeton, NJ), Hunter Howard (Dallas, TX), and Hilary Heieck (Pacific Grove, CA) and their grandchildren Nathaniel Weston Howard, Landry Robbins Heieck and Beckham Harding Heieck.
Born in “Little” Washington, NC to Edwin Brown Howard Sr. and Martha Weston Jones Howard, he moved to Scarsdale, NY with his parents and sister, Martha Howard Patten, but always held a special place in his heart for his North Carolina heritage and cherished summers spent with family in Belhaven and Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks. The Howards were the last Colonial owners of Ocracoke when Ed’s 7th great grandfather, William Howard, bought it in 1759 for 105 pounds sterling, after a swashbuckling career as Blackbeard’s Quartermaster.
Ed was known for his generosity, good-natured humor, loyalty, and integrity. He had the good fortune to raise his family in the same house in Scarsdale in which he grew up. As a result, for 75 years multiple generations of Howards attended and played sports for Greenacres Elementary and Scarsdale High School. He coordinated Greenacres sports for many years, and his children’s friends remember him as Coach Howard, with a clipboard at practices, a booming voice that could be heard across the field, and game strategy sessions during many carpool rides. Ed's dedication to community extended beyond coaching, as he served as a volunteer firefighter for the Village of Scarsdale and was actively involved at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church as a Deacon, Elder and Usher.
Ed had a deep love for Duke University, where he was a member of the Class of 1963. He maintained a strong affiliation with the university, interviewing prospective students and staying actively engaged with the Alumni Council and the Alumni Athletic Council. An avid Duke basketball fan and longtime season ticket holder, he was a constant presence at games in Cameron Indoor Stadium. He found tremendous joy watching his daughter Hilary captain the Duke Women’s team, which went all the way to the National Championship game in her senior season. And he even tolerated Alice rooting for her alma mater, the UNC Tar Heels. He was also a dedicated member, past president, and honoree of the North Carolina Society of New York.
Golf was another one of Ed's passions, and he formed countless cherished friendships as a lifelong member at Scarsdale Golf Club. A talented athlete and former scratch golfer, Ed won numerous championships and was shooting his age even as he turned 81.
At Scarsdale Golf Club, he served as a Board Member, Golf Chair, and Chairman of the Wilson Cup; he also chaired the Metropolitan Golf Association caddie scholarship program. He found humor, competition, and friendship on the greens and was always quick with a compliment and good-natured joke. Ed was also a member of Pinehurst Country Club and actively involved in the Westchester Senior Golf Association.
Throughout more than 50 years on Wall Street, in true steadfast, professional, and loyal Ed Howard fashion, he never left his first job. His business card changed as the companies were acquired or merged, and along the way Ed developed deep and lasting connections with his colleagues and clients, many of whom became close friends, at Kidder, Peabody, Paine Webber, UBS and across the industry. He was a consummate institutional equity salesman, who truly loved a great stock idea, and always took the time to mentor junior analysts.
Ed also loved traveling (and not just to basketball games).That wanderlust took Alice and him on epic train and boat journeys, safaris, behind the Iron Curtain, and to as many of the “Stans” as he could visit; somehow, no matter where in the world he was, he always found a Diet Coke and the International Herald Tribune. He instilled that love early in his children, and for five consecutive summers the family did “house exchanges” in Europe, exploring England and France like locals. He also loved watching animals – whether it was spotting hawks on rides in the Hudson Valley, feeding the neighborhood fox, or watching hippos at their watering hole.
Edwin Brown Howard Jr. will be remembered for his love of family, his generous nature, unwavering dedication to community, sense of humor, his cherished North Carolina roots, his passion for Duke University and golf, and his admirable integrity in both his personal and professional life. His presence will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
A visitation will be held at Edwin L. Bennett Funeral Homes on Monday, August 7, 4- 7pm, and a memorial service celebrating Ed's life will be held at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale on Tuesday, August 8th at 11am. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to Hitchcock Presbyterian Church or the Greenburgh Nature Center.
New Book Portrays the Untold Story of the Woman Behind Abolitionist Wendell Phillips
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Scarsdale author Jacqueline Friedland will release a new historical novel on August 15, 2023. THE STOCKWELL LETTERS is based on the story of Ann Phillips, a passionate female abolitionist, and her connection to Anthony Burns, a young man who escaped slavery and whose story had the nation awestruck. With a particularly keen eye to the restrictions placed on women and what many women did despite these restrictions to enact necessary social change, THE STOCKWELL LETTERS is a timely and relevant historical fiction novel rooted in the true events that shaped the pursuit of an escaped slave.
Friedland is also the author of He Gets That From Me, That's Not a Thing, and Trouble the Water. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and NYU Law School, she practiced briefly as a commercial litigator in Manhattan and taught Legal Writing and Lawyering Skills at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law. She returned to school after not too long in the legal world, earning her Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. Jacqueline regularly reviews fiction for trade publications and appears as a guest lecturer. When not writing, she loves to exercise, watch movies with her family, listen to music, make lists, and dream about exotic vacations. She lives in Scarsdale with her husband, four children, and two very lovable dogs.
The novel depicts the story of abolitionist Ann Phillips, whose activism was put on hold shortly before her twenty-fourth birthday due to a mysterious illness. Her husband, the famous abolitionist Wendell Phillips, forbade Ann from any anti-slavery outings in an attempt to preserve her health. However, when escaped slave Anthony Burns is caught in Boston, Ann was determined to help him regardless of the cost.
We asked Friedland a few questions about the new book and here is what she shared:
How did you become interested in Ann Phillips? Where did you first learn about her?
When I was doing research for my first book, Trouble the Water, which takes place in Charleston about twenty years before the Civil War, I stumbled upon the story of a man named Anthony Burns. Anthony had been enslaved in Virginia, but in 1854, he escaped to Boston, where he became the subject of a highly publicized and controversial trial. The alleged slaveowner had found Anthony in Massachusetts and was seeking to have him returned to the South under the Fugitive Slave Law. The abolitionists of the North were aghast at the notion that Southern laws could be applied in a free state. The case rocked the entire nation, as both sides demanded their arguments be heard. There were riots and protests and massive amounts of civil unrest.
As I read about the trial, I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t heard Anthony’s story before. I continued digging and discovered that there was a group of abolitionist men in the North who risked a great deal trying to help Anthony. Unfortunately, they ended up making more of a mess of the situation. But then I realized there was another story about what had happened in Boston in 1854. It was the women who were standing quietly behind their abolitionist husbands who were up to something all on their own. This is how I discovered Ann Phillips. She was the wife of a famous abolitionist named Wendell Phillips, who was so highly regarded for his superior public speaking skills that he was often called “the golden trumpet of abolition.” As I learned more about him, I came to understand that it was quite possibly Ann who was writing many of his famous speeches for him. The more I studied both Ann and Wendell, as well as other activities that Ann spearheaded, I reached the conclusion that Ann’s discreet and seemingly subtle actions were at the heart of a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, and I knew I had to tell her story.
How did you conduct the research? Where were the original materials archived?
Author Jacqueline Friedland
Most of the research I did for The Stockwell Letters occurred during the first half of 2020, while we were all in the midst of Covid lockdowns. Thank goodness for the internet. I was able to access many sources online, even real images of old newspaper articles, which I obtained through the Library of Congress. You can flip through old newspapers on their site just like if you were using an old-fashioned microfiche (like the ones we used in the 1980s). There are multiple websites you can join to obtain access to all the same old or rare books you might find in a library, so I relied on those as well. I also ordered certain particularly pertinent books to my home from booksellers that carry old, out-of-print books. There is a wealth of information available both online and in print about Ann’s husband, Wendell, including reprints of original letters that he and Ann exchanged over a period of years. Being privy to their conversations like that was enormously helpful in getting a sense of who they both were, and it was great fun to immerse myself in the historical period that way.
How was this book an extension of your earlier books?
The book is actually quite different from all my earlier projects. While my first novel, Trouble the Water, is also historical antebellum fiction, it’s much lighter and is focused more on the romance between the main characters. The new book is set in the same time period, but the emphasis is really on the societal tension that pervaded the country at the time, from racial tension to disparities in gender roles to political unrest. This book is meant for readers who are interested in learning more about a historical moment of great significance in our country’s history.
Will you do a reading here in Scarsdale - or anywhere local?
I will be appearing at Temple Israel in White Plains on September 20th at 7 pm for an author talk and book signing, and I will also be participating in a panel discussion at the Mid-Westchester JCC in Scarsdale on October 18th at 7 pm, with a focus on the ways in which women must “misbehave” in order to become disrupters.
Preorder your copy of the book here:
What Scarsdale is Reading
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For those of us who like to read, summertime usually means reading time, whether it be at the beach, by a lake or on your own front porch. Local readers are fortunate to have so many ways to secure books and audiobooks. Scarsdale has a beautiful new library with plenty of books on display and many comfortable spots to sit and enjoy them. Library card holders can get free e-books and audio books via the library app LIBBY, making many titles available without leaving home.
Looking for suggestions for your summer reading list? We asked the Scarsdale Library for a list of the most popular titles on loan this summer and here is what they shared. See their suggestions for summer reading here.
Do you have suggestions of what to read? Please contribute them in the comments section below.
Top 10 Books
Pineapple Street - Jenny Jackson
Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus
Our Missing Hearts - Celeste Ng
Spare - Prince Harry
Bad, Bad Seymour Brown - Susan Issacs
Hello Beautiful - Ann Napolitano
Lucy by the Sea - Elizabeth Strout
The It Girl - Ruth Ware
The Marriage Portrait - Maggie O'Farrell
Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver
A Likely Story - Leigh Abramson
Top 10 eBooks
Beware the Woman - Megan Abbott
Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver
Happy Place - Emily Henry
Hello Beautiful (Oprah's Book Club) - Ann Napolitano
Horse - Geraldine Brooks
Mad Honey - Jodi Picoult
Jennifer - Finney Boylan
Pineapple Street - Jenny Jackson
Same Time Next Summer - Annabel Monaghan
The Spectacular - Fiona Davis
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin
Top 10 Audiobooks
The Making of Oliver Cromwell - Ronald Hutton
The Six: The Lives of the Mitford Sisters - Laura Thompson
How to be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question - Michael Schur
Someone Else's Shoes - Jojo Moyes
The Match - Harlan Coben
The Revolutionary : Samuel Adams - Stacy Schiff
"Most blessed of the Patriarchs" Thomas Jefferson and the Empire of the Imagination - Annette Gordon-Reed
A Distant View of Everything - Alexander McCall-Smith
A Legacy of Spies - John LeCarre
All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr
Share your reading suggestions in the comments section below.
Sewage Pipe Rupture Sullies Hudson River
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Attention Boaters and Swimmers: The Hudson River Health Department reported a broken 30-inch pipe at the Tarrytown Sewer Pump Station on July 10, 2023. Due to the break, partially treated sewage was being released into the Hudson River in Sleepy Hollow. The department warned that contact with the sewage was a potential health threat and warned boaters and swimmers to avoid all activities in and on the river until the water was deemed to be safe.
As of July 12, 2023 the advisory remained in effect. However the pipe had been repaired and sewage was no longer flowing into the river. The department was conducting water sampling tests and will let people know as soon as the water is safe to use again.
Stay up to date by visiting the County Health Department website here.
Return of Greenacres’ Fourth of July Celebration
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On July 4th at 9:00 AM, Scarsdale residents gathered at Greenacres Elementary School to celebrate the holiday. Each year, the Greenacres Neighborhood Association organizes and hosts a family-friendly Fourth of July Celebration for the community. This year, more than 150 Greenacres residents gathered on Greenacres Field throughout the day. In the morning, volunteers served an assortment of breakfast foods, including watermelon, bagels, cookies, lemonade, coffee, and more. The number of attendees slowly grew as an array of family-friendly games began. The games played were:
- Spoon Race.
- 3-Legged Race.
- Sack Race.
- Foul Shots.
- Candy Hunt.
The winners of each event can be found at the bottom of the article.
Shortly after the games concluded, the Patriotic Program began. The program opened with a color guard presentation by Scout Troop 4 Scarsdale, after which Mayor Justin Arest spoke a few words to congratulate the community on the event's return and honor the holiday.
After the Patriotic Program concluded, the attending children were overjoyed to participate in the famous Greenacres Gallop and the Fire Department’s water display. Although the clouds prevented rainbows from forming, the spray allowed families to cool off after an intense day of old-fashioned fun.
“The Fourth of July is always a great occasion for neighbors to come together, celebrate America, and enjoy the community that we have built within Greenacres,” said Cynthia Crowe, Secretary of the Greenacres Neighborhood Association (GNA) and organizer of this year’s event. “One of the objectives of the GNA is to bring our community together through much anticipated events just like our flagship 4th celebration. We would like to thank all of the members, volunteers, special guests and other attendees for coming out to support this fun event. Greenacres is the place to be, and we truly showcased that today.”
Event Results:
50 Yard Dash
1st: Narayan Dabral, Aidan Wang, Warren Yang, Luca Streche, Eva Mancheril, Miles Zwerling
2nd: Michah Bloomgarden, Hunya Maroof, Aria Wen, Ned Gittins, Athena Clark, Parvati Dabral, Jack Mongan, Sebastian Crowe
3rd: Samuel Rogan, Monica Rogan, Ayden Ostermiller, Colton Zakierski, Shea Seckular
Foul Shots:
1st: Matt Zoland, Luca Streche, Samuel Grogan
2nd: Dan Moor, Dylan Ostermiller, Luke Tisserant
3rd: Jay Yang, Ayden Ostermiller, Dylan Dubinsky
Potato Sack:
1st: Nico Streche, Luca Streche, Warren Yang, Jack Mongan
2nd: Samuel Rogan, Pavrati Dabral, Aidan Wang, Arthur Griffins
3rd: Hunya Maroof, Owen Dubinsky, Sophie Tisserant, Myles Zwerling, Colton Zakierski
Spoon Race:
1st: Emily Dillon, Jacob Herzog, Parker Simnos, Owen Dubinsky, Maddie Lu, Aidan Wang, Hunya Maroof
2nd: Emily Bryant, Rui Holmes, Sofia Hinder, Olivia Rogan, Eva Mancheril, Olivier Vasil
3rd: Luke Tisserant, Cameron Crowe, Luca Streche, Ben Purcell, Calvin Logue
3 Legged:
1st: Aidan & Sheng Wang, Luca Streche & Owen Dubinsky
2nd: Warren & Jay Yang, Ramon Li & Tingting Tso, Sebastian Crowe & Colton Zakierski
3rd: Mary & Margaret Trenis, Olivia Rogan & Parvati Dabral
