Howard Leroy Wilson

Howard LeRoy Wilson was born December 8, 1932 and died peacefully at Corvallis Caring Place in Corvallis on August 18, 2023. The second of three sons, Howard was born to Ralph and Erma Wilson in his grandmother’s bedroom in Polk County, Oregon. His parents raised him on their 52-acre farm seven miles east of Salem, through the Depression. They survived on produce from the garden, butter his mother made, meager income from grain and seed farming, and any extra work his father could find. Howard was his mother’s chief chicken helper, and after his chores were done he remembered he was free to roam the rocky hillside waging wars with imaginary enemies.

He attended the one-room Bethel Elementary School for grades 1- 8. After the first grade he was the only student in his grade until he graduated. He voraciously read all the books in the school library, ordering as many as he could from the mobile truck that came around every month. He attended Parrish Junior High for 9th grade, followed by Salem High (the only one in town then). Every morning Howard and his older brother Ralph Jr. would ride into town with their father, who was by then the manager at Ford Valley Tractor Company. They would be dropped off at 14th and D Streets, and walk on to the high school.

After graduating in 1950, Howard attended Willamette University. Between working summers at a grain warehouse and his father’s generous support, he was able to graduate in four years with a degree in Mathematics, continuing on for a fifth year to earn his teaching certificate in 1955. He remembered Dr. Chester Luther with great respect, as the one who taught him how to be a teacher. During his time at Willamette Howard enjoyed managing the football, basketball, and baseball teams, keeping score and stats.

Howard taught mathematics (not math!) for one year at Ashland High School before being hired by Eastern Oregon State College, who needed a mathematics instructor badly enough to hire him before he earned a Master’s degree. During 1956-1963 while teaching at EOSC, he completed his Master’s degree and began work on a PhD through a National Science Foundation program at the University of Illinois. While there he met Virginia Latshaw, also studying through the NSF program. They married in August 1960.

Howard began teaching at Oregon State University in 1963 and taught mathematics in the Science Education Dept. for 30 years, retiring in 1993. After finishing his PhD he came on as an associate professor, later earning a full professorship, serving as associate chair and head advisor for 10 years, and then lower division head until retirement. He advised numerous students over the years, taking great delight in his international students. During a 1972-73 sabbatical, he chaired the Mathematics department at Goroka Teacher’s College in Papua New Guinea through UNESCO. On a return trip to Goroka in 2008, he was remembered and celebrated by staff now teaching there.

Following retirement from OSU Howard worked for Hewlett-Packard, training teachers across the nation to use the new HP handheld graphing calculators in their classrooms. He and Virginia enjoyed many trips during those years, several through Elderhostel – Howard was a life-long learner. He was a PBS addict, an avid Democrat, and a strong proponent of education. He was also a man of the soil all his life, cultivating a vegetable garden, fruit trees and flowers – beautiful dahlias - wherever he lived. His grandkids loved his fruit leather. He enjoyed having citrus trees in his yard when he and Virginia lived as snowbirds for some years in Cathedral City; homemade marmalade became a passion then.

Howard and Virginia were long-time members of First United Methodist Church of Corvallis. They were active for many years in various capacities, including the 4F group with whom they enjoyed pinochle, camping, and other outings.

After Virginia’s death, Howard lived the last part of his life at Corvallis Caring Place. He considered it his home and was warmly supported, with the help of Evergreen Hospice, through the end of his battle with congestive heart failure.

Preceding Howard in death are his wife Virginia, his parents Erma and Ralph Wilson Sr., his brother Ralph Jr. and wife Shirley, and younger brother Walter. He leaves behind his daughter Cheryl Hoffmann (Mark), son Randy Wilson (Ramey Echt), son Brian Wilson (Katherine Chung); grandchildren Catie, Ari, Nate (Elizabeth), Eli; and great-grandson Owen. We will miss him.

There will be a memorial gathering at the Corvallis Elks Lodge on Saturday, November 4 at 11:00am. Please come to celebrate and share your memories of a fine man.