Obituary: Joseph Raymond Howard, 94, Bardstown
Joseph Raymond Howard, 94, of Bardstown, died Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020, at the VA Medical Center in Louisville. He was born May 7, 1926, in Whitesville in Daviess County and graduated from St. Mary of the Woods High School on June 4, 1944. He enlisted into the Army on July 22, 1944, and was a T/SGT of the motor pool in Central Europe. He was assigned to the Third Army under the command of General George S. Patton and was among the many that fought and died at the Battle of the Bulge. He received an Honorable Discharge June 25, 1946 and was awarded the Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the German Occupation Medal.
In 1946 he entered St Charles Catholic seminary in Baltimore. It was here he began his journey to fulfill his passion of becoming a monastic religious priest. In 1949, he entered the Abbey of Gethsemani to continue his education for the priesthood. Several years later he chose not to pursue the priesthood and re-entered the monastery as a lay brother and was given his monastic name of Brother Nicholas. In August 1959, he took his solemn vows and continued his life as a monk for 27 years. In Feb. 1976, he left the monastery, and moved to Klute, Texas, and in 1977 he returned to Kentucky to work for UPS in Henderson. Shortly afterwards, he married Frances Cecil, his wife of 43 years and returned to Bardstown. He went to work for Whayne Supply in Louisville as a heavy equipment mechanic and retired in June 1992 after 15 years of service. During this time, he hauled water to the surrounding community in his red 1961 water truck.
He was a kind and simple man. He knew and loved history, politics, and religion and would often quote detailed information on all three subjects to anyone who would listen, but his greatest love of all was God, prayer, and the Bible. His famous words were “be at peace” and somehow, he knew how to do that well. To the Howard family he was known as Johnnie or Uncle Johnnie. To his wife, stepchildren and many special friends he was known as Brother Nicholas or simply Nick and to many others he was known as Joe Howard. He was known and loved so many and he will truly be missed.
He was preceded in death by his parents, J.L. and Mary Elva Payne Howard; one sister, Marcella Howard Schepers also known as “Girl,” who died Nov. 1, 2020; and six brothers, Francis Howard, Louis Howard, David Howard, Stephen Howard, Clifton Howard and John C. Howard.
He is survived by his wife, Frances Cecil Howard; his stepchildren, Janet Hoehler (Steve) and Joe Ed Cecil, both of Louisville, and Pat Bronger, Karen Downs, and Ronnie Cecil, all of Bardstown; one brother, Malcolm (Martha) Howard of Vine Grove; several stepgrandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
The private Funeral Mass is 10 a.m. Saturday Dec. 5, 2020, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Loretto with the Rev. Matthew Hardesty officiating. Burial is 12:30 p.m. Central time in St. Mary of the Woods Cemetery in Whitesville. The Funeral Mass will be livestreamed onto the Mattingly Funeral Home facebook page.
A private visitation is 4-6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, 2020, at the Mattingly Funeral Home in Loretto.
Mattingly Funeral Home in Loretto is in charge of arrangements.
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