HOW, Herbert

HERBERT HOW Herbert How passed away on September 1, 2026, in White Rock, British Columbia, at the age of 93, in the company of Carol, his wife of 25 years.
Born on April 3, 1933, in Taber, Alberta, Herb was the seventh of nine children of Charles and Kay How. Known by the nicknames ‘Git’ and ‘Crash’ in his school years and beyond, there were constant updates and stories followed in the local paper, the Taber Times. News of the How brothers and their motorbike crashes hit the newsstands regularly, cows and gravel usually at fault. It was probably a good week for Charles and Kay How when none of their How boys made the paper.
Herb grew up with his siblings helping in his family’s restaurant, The Cameo. His early years shaped the closeness with his family, a shared love of Triumph motorcycles and Corvettes with his brother Norman, a love for dogs, especially labs named Pugnacious, and a sense of adventure that remained with Herb for the rest of his life.
After graduating from Taber High School, Herb joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (1951-1961), with service supporting NATO forces in France in 1952. Following his dream posting in Fontainebleau, France, he was stationed at Jericho Beach in Vancouver for five years, living nearby in a small room-and-board house. It was then that he developed a lasting love for the ocean and the West Coast and a strong desire to return one day – a dream he would eventually fulfill.
After leaving the Air Force, Herb returned to The Cameo, working alongside his brothers Norman and Robert. While working there, he met Emiko, and they wed in 1965. They started a family in Taber and later moved to Lethbridge, where his personable nature built a varied career selling cars, motorhomes, and real estate. Though they later separated, Emiko and Herb, together, raised three successful children, who have always remained a source of immense pride and joy: Valerie, a cardiac nurse; David, a pharmaceutical chemist turned Apple genius; and Mark, an artist and video game animator. As a family, they enjoyed exploring Western Canada in their motorhome, listening on repeat to 8-track tapes of John Denver, Kenny Rogers, and ABBA. Their roadtrips instilled a deep love for the mountains, where they raced to always be the first to make tracks in the snow.
Herb was an avid downhill and helicopter skier and remained on the slopes well into his seventies. He rode his electric-assisted bicycle into his eighties and continued driving into his nineties. Had he been allowed, he undoubtedly would have added motorcycles to the list. Along the way, he developed a love of painting, photography, and journaling, preserving the people, places, and moments that mattered to him. When technology advanced, Herb adapted with the times. He never stopped using his iMac and iPad, which enabled him to archive and share his photographs with his yearly gift of his Shutterfly family calendar. He would regularly FaceTime with his kids and grandkids, and be entertained with games, where he didn’t mind losing in Words With Friends against his son, David, time and again.
Herb maintained lifelong friendships, of which he spoke of fondly and often. His childhood friendship with Brian L. Evans, who went on to become an esteemed Chinese scholar and author, left a lasting impression that Evans later reflected upon in his memoir, Pursuing China:
“What sparks an interest in a youngster’s mind? How long-lasting is an interest once sparked? In my case, it was China, an interest sparked by a childhood friendship with a young Chinese Canadian boy named Herbert How. This memoir is an attempt to illustrate the consequences of that interest sparked over seven decades ago.” Another enduring friendship began while Herb and another young airman, Jim McCausland, were serving abroad. Wearing his Air Force greatcoat, Herb was mistaken by Jim for possibly being North Korean. Jim took another look and later realized, “By God, that guy is Canadian.” What began as a case of mistaken identity became a friendship that lasted for the remainder of Herb’s life.
In 2001, Herb married Carol in Hawaii, and together they made Surrey, BC their home. Herb and Carol travelled extensively, from Egypt to Cuba, Texas to New York – where they delighted in chance encounters with the rich and famous like Yoko Ono and Michael Bloomberg. They explored the world’s wonders as each other’s constant companions. Herb and Carol also shared an abiding love for music of the 40’s and 50’s; particularly big band and early jazz. During their years together, they spent many Saturday evenings with old friends and new ones, dining and dancing at the White Rock Kent Street Senior Centre. In between travels, he spent his time supervising lunch hour at his neighbourhood elementary school and taking day trips to Grouse Mountain with a group of guys, all in their 70s and 80s, who held on to the nostalgic spirit of young men coming of age, with few plans and skis in tow. Carol remained at Herb’s side, giving unwavering love and support, until his passing.
Herb is predeceased by his parents, Charles and Kay; his sisters Ruth, Alice, Irene, and Margaret; and his brothers Willie, Gordon, and Norman. He is survived by his wife Carol, daughter Valerie, sons David (Alexis), and Mark (Bonnie); and grandchildren Sarah (Gus), Ethan (India), Aaron, West, Hudson, Brooklyn, and Miki; and by his brother Robert.
Herb also leaves behind his large extended family, including his numerous nieces and nephews, whom he loved dearly. He cherished family gatherings and enthusiastically participated in reunions, birthdays, and other occasions that brought everyone together.
He lived 93 years with an uncommon enthusiasm for life, and we, who knew him, were fortunate to share in his adventures.
A celebration of life will be held in the summer of 2027.