Palestine High School Alumni Association

Howard E. Day graduated from his earthly life and was gathered to his people, and to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, February 11, 2014. Following a brief illness, he passed peacefully at his Tennessee Colony, Texas home surrounded by loving family.

Howard was born in Tennessee Colony, Texas September 6, 1920 to Caro L. Day Sr. and Sadie M. Day, fourth of five children, three brothers and two sisters. As his mother and father were rural school teachers, he lived in several Anderson County communities during his primary and secondary school years. He attended and graduated from Palestine High School, where he first met Mary E. Kaes who became the love of his life. After graduation in 1938 Howard enrolled in North Texas Agricultural College in Arlington, Texas as a junior A&M cadet. By 1940 he moved to Glendale, California to pursue an engineering degree and began working for the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in San Diego building B-24 Liberator bombers.

The attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in 1941 interrupted his education but not his pursuit and love for “his Mary”. They were married December 13, 1942 in Palestine, Texas. In January 1943 he was drafted into the U.S. Army enlisted ranks and later received navigator training and his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Assigned to the 397th Bomb Squadron, Sixth Air Force, Panama Canal Defense Command as a B-24 Liberator crewmember, he was sent to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, South America. After nine months, he served the rest of his active duty time in the Panama Canal Zone. In 1947, two years after WWII ended, he was released from active duty and returned home to Palestine, Texas and “his Mary”.

After brief employment with Tidewater Associated Seaboard in Cayuga, Texas, Howard decided to join his Mary in her thriving beauty salon business. After graduating from cosmetology school he joined Mary in her shop on Avenue A in Palestine, Texas. Eventually he and Mary built an apartment and the Fashionette Beauty Shop on West Palestine Avenue where they worked side by side for over forty-two years.

He and Mary raised two sons Phillip born in 1951 and Dan in 1953. He spent countless joyful hours helping raise his sons and especially enjoyed coaching their various summer league baseball teams. In 1960 he and Mary bought a farm in Tennessee Colony, Texas and completed building their dream home and moved there in 1971. After retiring with Mary from their beauty salon career in 1984 he enjoyed his life as farmer/rancher with his Mary. He enjoyed wood working, fishing on Lake Creek with his family and was a devoted Texas Rangers baseball fan. Howard was preceded in death by his wife Mary, his four siblings (Walters, C.L., Eloise and Marie Day) and son Dan.

He is survived by his son Phillip Day wife Becky Day, daughter-in-law Georgia Day, grandson Benjamin Day and wife Celeste Day, granddaughter Claire Powell and husband Brent Powell, granddaughter Jennifer McLaughlin, grandsons Cody Day and Ian Day, great grandson Collins McLaughlin and sister-in law Anna K. Reynolds.

Howard’s final arrangements are being handled by Herrington / Land of Memory Funeral Home, 3434 South Loop 256, Palestine, Texas.

The worship service celebrating Howard’s life is scheduled for 11 AM February 21, 2014 at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 106 East Crawford, Palestine, Texas with graveside services and burial to follow at 2 PM at the Day farm in Tennessee Colony, Texas.

Herrington / Land of Memory Funeral Home & Cemetery Website – 02 / 15 / 2014