Earl Hower

Graduated from the Penn State School of Forest Resources and, in fact, was recently recognized as 2012 Outstanding Alumnus. `Even made the front page of The Home News published in Bath, Penna. (Impressed? Yes, about the local newspaper!)

Also when at PSU, I met my once wife of nearly 30 years, Susan (A Philly girl), in Happy Valley. More recently and sadly, time took its toll and we parted ways amicabley, and got a divorce but remain good friends. Hells bells, I even helped her move out. Hey, what a nice guy, right?

I bought our (and now my) house in Washington DC area suburbia; but am remodling and repairing in order to sell and am in the process of moving across town soon.

Life is too short not to be able to share that so little precious time with someone else who is special … So on Friday, October 5, 2012 at sunrise and on the beach of Hatteras Isle on the OBX, North Carolina, my sweetheart, Shelley Martin, accepted my surprise proposal.

No date has been set (none in the near future any way); as I have to sell my house, downsize my possessions, move in with her, and then move on with my, no, our life together.

Life goes on and, yes, life is good!

FYI: After a brief stint in urban forestry, I followed my passion to work in politics and conservation. I've worked for two assorted non-profits in the Washington DC area -- including National Rifle Association and Izaak Walton League.

I'm a published outdoor writer and book author and editor of my fraternity's alumni and our hunt club's newsletters.

I am researching my next writing project -- a historical novel about a real life pioneer hunter/trapper in northcentral Penna. in 1812; along with his 2 Seneca Indian companions and a newcomer on the frontier - an aging Revolutionary War veteran. TMI? With any luck, look for me someday on the NY Times Best Seller List!

And I have volunteered on local government's commission dealing with environmental issues. Yes, I get to use my forestry training as I serve on Leesburg (Virginia) Tree Commission in an effort to preserve, promote and plant trees for those who live and visit our town. (Ought to be a city with nearly 50,000 folks here ... And just a tad more than in Kreidersville?)

I stay active with my college fraternity's (Tau Phi Delta Social/Professonal Forestry Fraternity) alumni governance, communications, and fund-raising.

I am part owner of hunting club and lodge (built in 2003) in Potter County, PA. All eleven of us are fraternity brothers who have remained close with each other for over 35 years -- mainly hunting and fishing and doing other outdoorsey stuff together (My passion then and continues today).

In spite of the recent scandals and drama, I am still, and always will be, an avid Nittany Lion football fan, a season ticket holder, and have been to most of the home games since the mid `80s ... Go State! "JVP~RIP"

I hope to get back "home" more often (only 3 1/2 hours drive from northern Virginia) and will try to attend more NHS `73 functions in the near future.

Would love to hear for any of my lost classmates, so drop me a line, if you'd like ... Email me at: ehower@iwla.org, or call my cell (703)999 4170 (But, please no Amway solicitiations).

I have many fond and interesting memories about our times as Konkrete Kids: Some crazy times in cafeteria (i.e., Condor Club); Lester Snyder in drama class wearing my German Wehrmacht helmet (Who was "Verrrry Interesting!"); study halls (Where nobody ever really studied!); student council (Were we about governing and helping deal with the changing times ~or~ selling and eating (Oink!) candy and sodas at home basketball games?);the Big N Band (Roadtrip to VA Beach, VA with fun-loving majorettes and silks and band front); and the first Earth Day celebration at NHS.

How about the mock presidential election of 1972 and the debates in assembly? Where I talked Eddie Farnack into giving a tongue`n cheek speech (that I wrote) on behalf of the American Communist Party. It brought the house down in laughter. I still can see Mr. Pany behind the stage curtains laughing in tears! And then Mr. Carbone (a Korean War vet) whose eyes were red with anger and wanted to kill him!

And my speech on behalf of liberal, peacenick Senator George McGovern, a Democrat, (and later in college my campaign work for Jimmy Carter) still brings disbelief from those of my present day political and very conservative affiliation in the GOP. Tea Party Rules~ IRS Drools! So, how's that "change" thing working out for you?

I think back and realize we didn't really have a "care in the world" in the early`70s, yet how lucky we (guys) were that we "dodged the bullet" of the Viet Nam War.

Three come to mind ...

"Lonesome Dove" -- I met Robert Duvall once; as he lives about 20 miles from me on his horse farm in Middleburg, Virginia.

"Jeremiah Johnson" -- Seen it so many times that I can recite every line of the movie; including those in the native toungues of the Crow and Flathead Indians!

"The Crossing" -- About the 1776 attack on Hessian mercenaries in Trenton New Jersey; with Jeff Daniels as General Washington. Which by the way, might have been his best ever film performance ... And then he next co-starred in "Dumb and Dumber!"

Hunting, American history, trail hiking, exploring forests, white water rafting, camping ... Did I say hunting?

After living in a state (Virginia) where one can legally harvest 2 deer a day for about 160 days of a hunting license year, I've have somewhat grown tied of shooting deer.

But I have turkey hunted in 15 different states and tagged a respectable 6x6 bull elk on my first Colorado wilderness hunt.

Oh yes, and I annually organize/host a bear hunt with 25 dedicated bruin hunters in northern Penna. Of which I have personally taken 3 in the Keystone State, while others on our hunts took home a total of about 50+/- more black bears in the past 3 decades.

Yes 2 words says it all: "Lynyrd Skynyrd"

Ok, also "Aerosmith" -- As I've seen them in concert in 4 different decades in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and again in 2002.

And am into Jazz and Blues as well.