Obituary of Howard Tuttle Guyn

July 17, 1935 – Calgary, Alberta

December 5, 2023 – Calgary, Alberta

Howard Tuttle Guyn, beloved father, brother, and grandfather, passed away peacefully in hospital on December 5, 2023.

Howard was born on July 17, 1935, in Calgary, Alberta, the second son of his parents Les and Juanita.  Along with his brother Lee (Lorraine), he was raised on a farm near Acme, Alberta, and loved farm life, often riding his horse to school, until upgrading to modern bicycle technology.  A gifted athlete, he played senior baseball in Acme, continuing his multi-sport career when the family moved to High River in 1953.  Town life agreed with Howard, and that was where he met his lifelong love and partner Rowena, a piano teacher, figure skater, and Rodeo Queen who attended the same high school.

After graduating from high school, Howard’s next adventure was enrolling in Petroleum Engineering at Oklahoma University, where he graduated in 1957.  Wasting no time, he obtained his first job with British American Oil early in that year, then married Rowena in High River on December 28, 1957, with W.O. Mitchell delivering the toast to the bride.  They embarked on a nomadic life in the early Alberta oil industry, passing through Estevan, Regina, Pincher Creek, Rimbey, Calgary, and Stettler over the course of three decades.  Along the way, four children arrived: Lindsay (Karen), Gregory (Aingeal), Patrick (Patty Nowlin), and Susan (Matthew Godfrey).

Howard had a long and fulfilling career with British American and then Gulf Oil, including major offshore projects in the Beaufort Sea and Hibernia.  His friendships with colleagues endured for many decades.  Finally, after work stints in Ottawa and Newfoundland, he and Rowena were able to retire in 1992 to Osoyoos B.C., on the lakefront property where Rowena’s parents had settled in 1957.

In Osoyoos, continuing a tradition inherited from Rowena’s parents, they created an idyllic refuge for their four children and ten grandchildren: Garrison, Hayley, Genevieve, Connor, Laurel, Owen, Alex, Maclean, Harrison, and Colm, with many happy summers spent swimming, boating, and laying in the Okanagan sunshine.  Howard thoroughly enjoyed his extended family and looked forward to their visits.  He was very active in the Osoyoos community, with the Gyros service club and particularly the Osoyoos United Church and thrift store.   Howard also had an avid interest in gardening, golfing, bowling, curling, and playing bridge with many good friends.

When his beloved Rowena passed away in 2013, Howard decided to move to Calgary to be closer to family.  His last years were spent there, many of them with his new partner Mina.  His children and grandchildren were grateful for the chance to spend more time with him during the last phase of his life, including the final illness (a struggle with dementia since 2019).  The Guyn family would like to acknowledge the extremely skilled and sympathetic care he received at the Peter Lougheed Hospital over the last week.

For those would like to celebrate Howard’s life and see him off on his new journey, funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, December 10, 2023, at the McInnis and Holloway chapel at 82 Crowfoot Circle NW, Calgary.  A light lunch will be served after the service, followed by, for the intrepid, a 2:00 pm graveside ceremony at the Acme Cemetery, located at the corner of highways 575 and 806.  Donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are invited to join Mr. Guyn’s service streamed live (see below) on the day of the service. For those who are unable to view live, a recording of the service will be posted. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

In living memory of Howard, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Crowfoot, 82 Crowfoot Circle NW, Calgary, AB T3G 2T3, Telephone: 403-241-0044.

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