Walter Carey Howell

Walter Carey Howell, age 80, of 346 W. Fourth Street, Bloomsburg, passed away in his sleep on “National Peace Day,” September 21, 2022. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Claudia; their children, Christine M. Howell and Carrie A. Opie; their grandchildren, Ashley K. Howell, Toni E. Childs, and Courtney L. Ehmer; and their great grandchildren, Ryland Gregory Schnee and Copper Shelby Baiotto.

Carey was born in Kingston on December 27, 1941 and was one of three children of Elmer Howell and Marjorie Carey Howell.

Carey was a graduate of Forty Fort High School/Wyoming Valley Technical Institute of 1962. At Forty Fort High School he was the Chaplin of the Hi-Y Club. After high school he started his first job at Forty Fort National Bank, then on to GAC Finance Corporation, living in Scranton, Washington D.C., Jamaica, Long Island, Broomall, Keene, NH, and back to Philadelphia.

In 1969, Carey and his family moved back to Bloomsburg to start a 25-year career as a manager with First Eastern Bank Bloomsburg Route 11, Bloomsburg Market Square, and the Berwick branch. As an assistant vice president, he traveled from home to Wilkes Barre for eight years. Here he was named regional manager of First Lease bank. He finished his career at First Columbia Bank.

During his lifetime he was involved in various community organizations. To name just a few of his community involvements: Jaycees, Bloomsburg Rotary Club, where he received the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, Chairman of Red Cross during the 1972 flood, Campaign Chairman of the Bloomsburg United Way, Bloomsburg Fair Director of Grandstand, and on the Bloomsburg Town Council.

Carey was a banker that enjoyed wearing a suit and tie, golfing with friends, and enjoyed meals out, especially coffee with the Morris men. Carey had a keen mind, quick wit, exemplary computer skills, dabbled in genealogy, and above all else was a story and joke teller.

He will be greatly missed. Please use humor in your life and support your community.

Private services will be held later at Memorial Shrine, Caverton (West Wyoming).

Memorial contributions in Carey’s name are suggested to the Bloomsburg Public Library, 225 Market St., Bloomsburg, PA 17815.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Dean W. Kriner Inc. Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 325 Market St., Bloomsburg.