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Light a Candle
Frederick Frank Howatt was born March 26, 1925 to Frederick James Howatt and Florence ("Josie") Taylor Howatt. He was joined in the family by brothers Leslie (1930) and Clarke (1933). He grew up in Portland until college, attending Wheaton College in 1942 where he met Margaret Kikendall. Before enlisting in 1943 he completed a semester of classes at Reed College in Portland. In the navy he served as an electronic technician (radio/radar) aboard the USS Crittenden until 1946. While in the service he and Margaret exchanged letters very regularly. They were married in 1946 and he completed his education at the University of Oregon with membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Their first child (Gretchen) was born in 1947. After graduating he accepted a position with the Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Company in Hartford, Connecticut. The family remained there for 12 years during which time Holly (1950), Steven (1951) and Duncan (1952) were born. In 1959 he took a position in the State of Oregon Insurance Division. He was the lead in a complete rewrite of the Oregon insurance code. In 1981 he moved to the Worker's Compensation Department where he remained until his retirement in 1985. The congratulations letter from Governor Victor Atiyeh at his retirement identifies "contributions as an actuary and as Assistant Commissioner with the Oregon Insurance Department, from 1959 until 1981..., revision of the Oregon Insurance Code from 1965 to 1967, Administrator position in the Workers' Compensation Department until retirement in December 1985." Several items mentioned specifically that were of especial value to the state. During his retirement years, Frank was very active in the community, serving on the board for his HOA, assisting the Portland Airport Commission, and serving as Chairman of the Bureau Advisory Coordinating Committee for the City of Portland. His church was an important part of the family life. He served many years as treasurer, piano player and director for week long summer youth programs at Eagle Fern Camp with Margaret. His lifelong interests include family, driving, sailing, photography, landscaping, travel (visiting friends across the country on extended annual trips in their Alpenlite 5th wheel trailer) and family history. He was a terrific archivist and leaves over 100 albums of his own pictures (thoroughly annotated and indexed) as well as many albums from his parents' collection. He is survived by two brothers, four children, thirteen grandchildren, and twenty great grandchildren.
