Benjamin Markham Howe (1939-2022)
Markham Howe was one of those rare individuals who could truly say he enjoyed a lifetime of giving to benefit others, through his professional careers, civic and community involvement, and military service to his country.
Mr. Howe died Monday, June 6, 2022, in Little Rock, following a brief illness. Known by many Arkansans because of his work in the power industry, education, advertising, marketing and public relations, Howe’s counsel and service touched countless lives.
Born in Memphis in 1939, he was raised at LaGrange (Lee County). Mr. Howe entered Arkansas State University (then College), where he met his wifeto-be, Gayle, as both performed in the marching band. After earning a degree in agriculture in 1961, he began a 33-year career with Entergy–Arkansas (then AP&L), representing the company in marketing, community relations, human resource and power production positions, and the last two decades as manager of public relations. His work for AP&L included writing the first Arkansas Nuclear One crisis communications plan, which became an industry model. Later, he wrote and implemented the public relations plan that resulted in a successful siting of the Independence Steam Electric Station at Newark.
Mr. Howe was associated with his alma mater in several capacities over the years, beginning as a guest lecturer and adviser to the campus chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America in 1982. He was an instructor in journalism and public relations from 199497 before associating with Mangan Holcomb and Partners as senior public relations counsel for a broad range of clients, then returned to A-State in a full-time capacity in 2002.
Director of university relations until 2008, he became executive director in 2009. He was responsible for marketing, public relations, advertising, media relations, internal/external communications and strategic communications planning for the university. Until retirement in 2010, he often represented the university at public events, promoting the university’s growth and contributions to the broad region it serves.
Mr. Howe served his country in the military and continued his education at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and National Defense University. He retired as a colonel, with 38 years in the Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves.
His service to Arkansas State includes the board of directors of the A-State Alumni Association, and president-elect and cofounder of the Friends of the College of Communications, 1998-2002. He was a member of the Advisory Council to the Department of Journalism and Printing, and recipient of the Friend of the College of Communications award.
An active member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), he was awarded the Crystal Award in 2008 for lifetime achievement in the profession. A longtime member of the Arkansas Chapter of PRSA, he earned national accreditation, served on the chapter board, and was recipient of more than 20 Prism awards.
Along with his vast experience in public relations, Mr. Howe’s community involvement included the boards of several non-profit organizations, including Youth Home of Arkansas, March of Dimes-Arkansas chapter, Junior Achievement of Arkansas, Retired and Senior Volunteers Program, Military Officers Association of America, United Way, Special Olympics and many others. He also was president of the Arkansas Choral Society, and a member of St. James United Methodist Church.
Mr. Howe served as the 199192 president of Civitan International, a civic club organization with approximately 45,000 members in 30 countries. Joining the Little Rock Civitan Club in 1971, he served as club president two times, and was the governor of the Ozark district in 1984-85 and then served on the Civitan International Board of Directors from 1985 to 1987, representing districts in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Afterward he continued to support the organization in many capacities, including service as a Civitan International Foundation Fellow and a Research Center Fellow, membership on several committees, and a leadership trainer for club presidents and presidents-elect throughout the U.S.
Markham and Gayle were inducted into the Legacy Society at Arkansas State because of their planned endowment gift in appreciation and recognition of the preparation A-State gave them for their respective careers in communication and music.
Mr. Howe was preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin Henry and Clarice Laurence Markham Howe, and his stepmother, Mary Danehower Howe.
Survivors include his wife, Gayle; daughter, Lisa HoweHolbert (Mark); sons, Mark Howe and Michael Howe (Audrey), all of Little Rock; brother, Pat Howe of Searcy; sister, Mary Nell Sparks of Shell Knob, Mo.; grandson, Maddox Holbert, and granddaughter, Riley Holbert.
A memorial service to celebrate Markham Howe’s life will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home. Visitation will follow in the Garden Room.
In lieu of flowers, friends may consider memorial gifts to Arkansas State University Foundation, Inc., Special Olympics of Arkansas, or CARTI Cancer Center.
Please share your memories of Markham at www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/c henal.