Larry Howard:
CLASS OF 1965
Richmond High SchoolClass of 1965
Richmond, IN
Purdue University - EngineeringClass of 1975
West lafayette, IN
Taylor UniversityClass of 1969
Upland, IN
Williamsburg High SchoolClass of 1965
Williamsburg, IN
Larry's Story
Life
After High School, I went to Taylor University on an atheltic scholarship. At Taylor I set school and Conference records in both the pole vault and high jump. I had an invitation to the 1968 Olympic tryouts but due to financial problems I dropped out in 1967 and went to work. Got married and had my only child, Rene, in 1968. After working through the ranks at Johns-Manville in Richmond, I took a job in R&D. I was credited with inventing a major component in the breakthrough process to make fiberglass insulation. Today I have over a dozen patents assigned to JM. In 1972, I decided to go back to school. I enrolled at IU East in the Purdue programs. working full time and going to school full time I earned my degree with high honors from the Purdue school of engineering in 1975.
I was later promoted to plant staff Training Engineer. I never liked the cold winters in Indiana so I requested a transfer south. JM started up a plant in Etowah TN in 1979. I was transferred as furnace process engineer. About 1982 I was promoted to Furnace Department Production Superintendent. After 10+ years I was promoted to Division Process Engineer. I worked on several major projects and traveled extensively abroad and throughout the US.
In Nov of 19...Expand for more
96, I was called into the plant due to a glass leak in one of the furnaces. While troubleshooting the leak, I was involved in an accident that left me with 3rd degree burns over 70% of my body. After 5 months in a morphine coma and 7 months in physical rehab I was released from the hospital. I was unable to use my right hand and was confined to a wheelchair for nearly another another year. Most of that is behind me now, although I walk with a pretty bad limp due to the nerve damage in my right foot.
I had set a goal to retire before I was 50. I met my goal but not quite the way I wanted to. Thanks to some good investments and hard work, I was financially secure at the time of the accident. I had planned to retire just 3 months later.
I had kidney failure because of the accident and was on dialysis until 2/28/05. I received a kidney transplant and I am doing very well
Just to give a brief update today January 4 2021, I am still doing well however my wife and companion for 30 years passed away on April 15 2019. Unfortunately our twilight years are filled with sadness as we lose so many loved ones, friends and classmates. Although I still own property in Florida, I plan to spend my remaining years in Tennessee. May God bless you all.
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