Howard W. Stein

Howard William Stein, 91, passed away peacefully, Friday, February 9, 2018, in Phoebe Berks, Wernersville.  He was the first born of Verna and James.  Howard was born on the family farm in Barnesville which is now a portion of Tuscarora State Park.  After graduating from Tamaqua HS in 1944, he entered the Army and fought in the Rhineland.  He was awarded the Purple Heart for a wound sustained near Dusseldorf, Germany and was discharged in 1946. In 1947, he married Catharine Jane Clavier (deceased). They purchased property in Mohnton which included five greenhouses.  Using his G.I. bill, Howard took a class in horticulture and established Stein’s Flowers.  Eventually expanding to 19 greenhouses, he grew over 250,000 mums/year supplying all floral wholesale houses in Reading.  He established the metric system for packing mums.  Doing retail business on the side led to the purchase of a flower shop in Shillington in 1971, which is still open after 25 years of new ownership.

Howard loved his ‘second career’ of almost 20 years, in the football equipment room at Governor Mifflin HS.  He was proud to be inducted into the GM Hall of fame in 1991.  He was even more proud of his ‘Steiny Special’ in the Mifflin/Wilson game of 1996.

Howard served on:  the Mohnton Borough Council, 12 years on the Board of Directors of PA flower growers, Zion church council, and the Reading fair board.

He was a member of:  Mohnton Lion’s Club (over 50 yrs.), GM boosters club, Shillington American Legion, Mohnton VFW, and the Reading Lodge 549, a life member of the Penwyn club, and an honorary member of the Mohnton Fire Co.

Howard also started the 4H horse and pony club of Berks County and the FFA award in floriculture in PA.

A ‘Pop’ any grandchild would love, he always carried sticks of gum, loved to go fishing, and taking trips for donuts, ice cream, and candy.  Jen (Gabel), Matt, Dave, Michael, Megan (Dietrich), Kelly, and Jarad and Trevor Metz will fondly remember their time together.  In addition, there are 14 great grandchildren.

He is survived by his sons, H. William Jr. and wife Faye of Turbotville; James and wife Ann of West Lawn; and daughter Barbara and husband Darryl Metz of Shillington.  Also surviving is a sister, Betty Jean, wife of Robert Blewitt of Horsham, PA.

A viewing will be held on Monday, February 12th, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Giles & Yeckley Funeral Home, 21 Chestnut Street, Mohnton.

Service and Internment will be private.

Contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Assoc., www.alzfdn.org.

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