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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 29, 2006 - 07:11pm PT
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My good friend and wonderful climbing partner passed away Monday night from a heart attack at his SLC home after a day of skiing.
I first met Howie in the mid-70's in the Gunks. Big, strong and extremely funny, he was a great partner, a bold climber and blast to hang out with.
Anyone familiar with Seneca Rocks will know the bold routes that Howie did FA's of.
He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
I am glad I had my time with Howie. This is really sad news for me.
Howie in the Black Canyon on Scenic Cruise sometime in the early 90's.
Peace Howie...I will miss you.
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Carolyn C
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Nov 29, 2006 - 08:13pm PT
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Bob, I don't know you but I'm sorry for the loss of your good friend and climbing buddy. It is so hard to lose the ones we have shared so much with.
cc
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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Nov 29, 2006 - 08:34pm PT
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Sorry to hear about that, Bob. I didn't know Howie, but I know a bunch of people who climbed with him and I've heard a number of wonderful "Howie" stories. My condolences.
Curt
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pc
climber
East of Seattle
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Nov 29, 2006 - 10:11pm PT
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Sorry for your loss Bob. I'm hugging my loved ones.
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ghand
Sport climber
Golden,Colorado
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Nov 29, 2006 - 11:57pm PT
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We should all hug our loved ones and our buddies. I first met Howard in 1971 at Carderock in the D.C. area, and climbed with him often, even as we moved to different places. Charlie Rollins and I took him with us the first time we climbed the Diamond because we knew we could not die with Howard with us. You always felt safe with him, even when he was driving his Shelby to Seneca! I have met very few people who were as kind and caring as Howard was. I have many fond memories of the times I spent with Howard and I will greatly miss him.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Nov 30, 2006 - 09:35am PT
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My condolences to his family and friends. How old was he and you mention Seneca Rocks, was he from West Virginia (like my mom)?
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ghand
Sport climber
Golden,Colorado
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Nov 30, 2006 - 09:41am PT
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Here is the funeral information from Adam Ehrlich:
Dear Friends,
The loss of our Dear Howie is without question shocking. All knew him to be a champion of health. For all those wishing to attend Sunday 12-3 services in NJ please reference the website www.normandean.com
Norman Dean Funeral Home
16 Righter Avenue, Denville, NJ 07834-2114
(973) 627-1880
There will be a group driving to NJ. To carpool please call me ASAP or email.
Note: At a future date, the climbing community will hold a memorial service in Washington. Prior to this gathering, we will request images of Howie and statements for a memorial platform.
Please Spread The Word…
Thanks
Adam
And the obituary from the funeral home:
Howard Thomas Doyle Jr. passed away at his home in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 27, 2006. He was 64 years old.
Born and raised in Jersey City, NJ he had lived in Maryland for many years before moving to Utah eight years ago.
Howard achieved his Bachelors Degree from the University of Maryland in 1966, then his Masters Degree from Montclair State College in 1969 and he earned his PHD from the University of Utah in 1971.
He had been a professor at the University of the District of Columbia in Washington DC before he retired in 1983.
Howard was a world traveler and an avid rock climber and skier.
He is pre deceased by his brother Michael James Doyle in 1999.
His brother Robert (& Ginny) Doyle of Rockaway, NJ survive him. His companion June Freedman of Salt Lake City, UT, his sister in-law Lynda Doyle, and his nieces & nephews Stacey Dimarco, Belinda Doyle Puglisi, Shaun and Jesse Doyle, and Shanna Bogart, also survive him.
Funeral will be from Norman Dean Home for Services 16 Righter Ave Denville, NJ, www.normandean.com on Monday December 4, at 9AM for a 10AM Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Marys Church in Denville. Friends may visit on Sunday from 1-5PM.
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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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Nov 30, 2006 - 11:50am PT
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Oh... that is a bad one... Howard... We climbed at Seneca RX back in the day... what a super guy... gone way, way too early in his life. Not much to say really... as we get older these great men will slip away .... enjoy your friends while they are here... So long Howard, you will be missed.
Tom Evans
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cts
Trad climber
sw PA
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Nov 30, 2006 - 10:20pm PT
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Howard was "the man" at Seneca Rocks in his prime, a really big guy he had huge guns and could hang out on hard routes forever, never touching the rope. He was trad always. Sewing it up was standard for Howard whether it was a easy 9 or hard 11, because at 190lbs (with no fat on this man) he could hit the rope pretty hard if he fell. Climbing with Eric Janoscrat and Marty McLaughlin, these three free climbed most of the old aid routes (with old funky bolts and pins)left at Seneca, calling 11s 10s always afraid to overgrade anything. Always encouraging he would try to get you laughing so hard you'd fall off, then he'd take over the lead. We got to do so many fine routes together at Seneca, Champe Rocks, and the Gunks it was a pleasure to share the rope with him, even if you'd have to argue with him for the sharp end. He was admired by everyone who knew him. Thanks Bob for the info, hope you and Laurel are doing well.
Cal Swoager
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jstan
climber
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In the 60’s and the 70’s Washington DC was, compared to now, still a small southern town. With the nearest sizeable rock as far away as it was, when I went to that city I at first despaired of finding much climbing there. But the area was incredibly rich in resources. Between Carderock, the C&O Canal, the Potomac Gorge, Seneca, and last but not least the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, you never had to look far to find a friend or a home. Until they tore it down we even had Touhey’s a mile down the canal from Carderock. Chili and beer for supper every evening after bouldering and you could get into a fight with a biker if you wanted to finish the day off in style. The variety in people was an order of magnitude larger than you would find anywhere else, I think. Teachers, professors, officials, on one occasion even the Secretary of the Interior. You could never tell what people were doing and most times you knew better than to ask.
Groups have very specific functions for people. Greg and Mel formed our vaudeville duo. Their routines were so good I really think they practiced them first. McGowan was our irresistable force. After breaking his ankle he went right back up soloing the same climb and broke his cast, then complaining about poor quality control. Fowler was our adrenaline junkie. You had to tie his ankles together. George Livingstone was our "mountaineer". A mountaineer is a person who is always completely at ease no matter how bad the situation. Geoge was always at ease. Tom Evans was, I think, the conductor. He is very subtle which is a requirement for conductors. It is all over if they are recognized as such. Then every group has to have a really big guy who is always soft spoken and who always listens to what you are saying. Calm sort of flows outward. That was Howard. You all are spot on correct. We will very much miss him.
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horst
Trad climber
Lancaster, PA
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This is very sad news. Howard was an local hero for many of us who got into climbing (back East) in the 1970s. Howard was a talented climber, and a true gentleman and great spirit. RIP my friend.
Eric
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2006 - 10:58am PT
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Cal...good to hear from you. Laurel and I are doing good and enjoying our "Golden Years"
The news about Howie is a little to much to handle right now. I will post some of my favorite "Howie Stories" as soon as I can keep my thoughts about him together without losing it.
Hope you are doing well?
Later, Bob
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muscle beach
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Ray Snead here, part of the motley crew of early '70s climbers in D.C.
I first met Howie in maybe '73, Professor Doyle, when he was still married to his first wife, living in Arlington Va, and pulling down a mortgage and trying to be a good citizen. That didn't last too long, pretty soon he had fallen in with the Carderock scene, tasted the various forbidden fruits of climbing, and met Lotus Steele. They shagged out a van together and headed off for a long road trip, a trip that really lasted for over thirty years though the personnel changed a few times. Howie was big, Italian, and very intimidating in those days (I was 16). Intimidation gave way to affection, and he has managed to somehow pop up almost everywhere I've been climbing ever since.
I've seen Howie every few years since I left D.C., but the last time I really spent time with him was in the mid-ninties in Rifle. Greg Hand and I had been caught up in the weird attraction of the place for some time, and Howie innocently joined us for a few days there. Howie hadn't been doing too much sport climbing lately. Greg's projects were way too hard, but mine seemed more reasonable ... Howie was IN. Let's just say the place didn't suit him, but as always he climbed with tenacity and his weird sort of powerful grace. But we had a great time, and you always did with Howie.
My Howie story of the period concerns a large pepperoni. Howie was always looking to climb at fighting weight (he was a BIG guy), and had a lifelong flirtation with various flavors of the Atkins diet. At Rifle, rather than enjoying the usual delightful dirtbag campground cuisine, we decamped to City Market, where Howie seized the largest, most anthropomorphic pepperoni imaginable. He ripped open the packaging, and proceeded to eat, no, devour, the at least 24" sausage while walking the aisles of the store. Were it anyone else, the jokes would have been inevitable, not to mention the sharp admonitions from grocery personnel about eating items not paid for. Not Howie, 220lbs, Italian temperament, and his quiet but take-no-bullshit demeanor.
And John Stannard has it right: appearances aside, Howie always listened.
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muscle beach
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Howie, in the aforementioned shagged-out van, sometime in the mid '70s. Photo courtesy of Lotus Steele.
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Carlo
climber
Pittsburgh, PA
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Man, I always thought Howard was invincible. Watching him climb was like seeing tectonic plates calmly and inexorably pushing a mountain range upwards. He was as solid as they come, a force of nature, strong and gentle at the same time.
I never got to share a rope with him but I always seemed to run into him unexpectedly, Nelson's Rocks, Woodland Walls, a fast food place in Fayetteville. His great smile and encouraging demeanor sent energy to anyone who shook his powerful hand. I always expected to see him again.
Goodbye Howard, you will be missed.
Carl Samples
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Sneaky Pete
Trad climber
Peoria, AZ
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I have thought about Howie a lot these last few years, and was devastated to hear that he died. To me, he was elemental, a presence larger than life. Climbing with him was always challenging but extremely fun. He climbed hard and enjoyed life immensely. Eric Janoscrat and I did a bunch of routes with Howie at Seneca, and it was always great climbing, great companionship, lots of laughs, and adventures and memories that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life.
Marty McLaughlin
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High Mnt
Trad climber
Potomac, MD
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I was saddened to hear about Howard passing. I thought I'd pass on a few funny remembrances of Howard and his climbing antics.
The first took place over 25 years ago. Boy, has it been that long! John Bremer and I were on a climbing trip to the Northeast with a stop in the Gunks. We ran into Howard, who was by himself. He asked if he could climb with us and we said sure. How could we refuse? He was over 6'2" and 200lbs and we were just wimpy kids. John started leading the first pitch and half way up he slung a small tree. I followed and left the sling for Howard to retrieve. When Howard got to the tree he took off the sling and looked up a John and said "You must be kidding" and promptly grabbed the tree, ripped it out, roots and all and threw it down to the ground!
Another classic moment was about 15 years ago, I was at the New River. There were several climbers about and Howard started leading a climb. I can't remember which. He made a few difficult boulder moves off the ground and when he got about 15 feet off the deck, he reached for his rack to place his first piece of gear. He had forgotten the gear in the commotion at the base of the climb. The moves were too difficult to reverse so he asked somebody to throw up his rack. I grabbed the rack and started to throw the rack up to him. Before I threw it, he said, "Ok, throw it hard and at my face!" Luckily I was able to get it up to him without putting an eye out!
Finally, a bunch of us were climbing at Seneca and somebody had lead Lichen or Leave It, another classic Howard Doyle route and Bill Hieronymus was seconding the climb. Howard was in the middle of the crux of Helter Skelter. For those of you who don't know Helter Skelter, it's just to the right of Lichen and is an extremely thin climb 5.11a with small, very small protection (I'm talking 2-3 RP) at the crux. Well for a big guy like Howard, that's a pretty committing lead! Howard was about 7' out from his gear when Bill started to shake at the crux. I think if he had fallen then, it would have been like skittle pool, Bill would pendulum into Howard, knocking him off. Well Howard would have none of that and in his no-nonsense manner took the bull (or was that Bill) by the horns and told Bill: 'Ok Bill, put your right foot there! Now left hand up, right there! Good, now right foot up to the left and right hand in to the good jam above'. I don't think I've ever seen Bill climb Lichen any smoother or quicker than that. Bill got to the top and Howard proceeded to finish the climb in his classic solid style.
Even though I haven't seen Howard in a while, I will miss his bold style of climbing and will continue to enjoy the many classic routes that he put up at Seneca.
Jack
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rickthompson
Social climber
Mount Nebbiolo, Colorado
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Bob, Greg, Ray, Cal, Eric, Carl, Jack, et al, I’m a little late to this thread as I just heard this very sad news last night.......it’s been a tough month for our graying group, first Todd and now Howard.....you know how it is when you first hear such news, you’re in denial......then, it really hits, the magnitude of it all, the loss of yet another of the great one-of-a-kind characters that weave a fabric of camaraderie in the world of climbing. Howard was a strong thread in that fabric and he will be sorely, sorely missed. My day has been filled with mental images of Howard in his glory days....at Seneca and New River....always the strong, fit and chiseled Apollo-like rock jock....always calm and in control....you're right Carl, he did almost seem invincible.....grace under fire was the modus operandi. See you on the other side of the hill H~
All the best,
rick thompson
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 5, 2006 - 07:56pm PT
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Howard was hot to do the Scenic Curise in the Black Canyon...Having climbed there a number of times I told I would do the route with him ( one of several we would do together in the "Black").
First we argued/discuss the rack. I was for going light (having done the route before)...He was for going safe...he won. He asked about water, I said a quart would be enough (I won/lost) that one.
Things went smooth with Howard leading the crux corner. Around the ninth pitch...I could see Howard fading a little. Lack of water (my fault) and the late May sun started to take it's toll on him. I led the traverse pitch leading to a nice ledge below a flaring roof crack.
We sat talking and looking at this beautiful canyon we were blessed to be together in.
Howard (almost 52) at the time was started to say how he wished he was younger so he could enjoy the route more. I (only forty) at the time wished that I would still be climbing like this powerhouse at that age.
Howard started the next pitch...groaning like a woman in labor... and by sheer will only...pulls him massive frame up and over to the the belay.
I reach the belay. Out of water and still a fair amount of light left I told Howard that route finding was difficult and maybe I should lead the last couple of pitches to the rim. We reach the top, sat on the rim, hugged each other and knew that we just spend a very special day together.
With Howard...you alway felt safe. In Gunks, RMNP, Black Canyon or the Neddles of SD....it didn't matter. He was the master of small gear and I almost felt like he could set a safe belay with RP's on a blank wall.
I loved Howard for the man he was, the friend he was and I will cherish the times we spent together. In a selfish way...I want more of those times.
Marty...How are you? Rico...give me a call.
Howie (on the left) in Sin City. Photo by Greg Hand.
Later, Bob
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ghand
Sport climber
Golden,Colorado
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The first time I met Steve Levin is one of my Howard stories. Sometime in the 70's, Howard and I were climbing in the Trapps in the Gunks. After a full day of climbing where we were always pushing our limit, we were hiking back along the carriage road. When we reached the Maria area, we heard a lot of commotion up at the cliff. As we hiked up, we found Steve had fallen off bouldering Kama Sutra and had broken his leg. After surveing the situation, Howard put Steve on his back and proceeded to carry him down to his car. (I don't remember if I carried Howard's pack, he probably carried that also!) It was like being with a "John Wayne" character, someone bigger than life!
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