Raymond H. Howard, age 86, of Jasper, Indiana

Ray was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 28, 1939, to Edwin and Mary (Rus) Howard.  He married his high school sweetheart, Janet Sue Rudolph on March 26, 1960, at Mars Hill Church of Christ in Indianapolis, Indiana.  

He was a 1957 graduate of Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, Indiana.  In 1961 he graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Education from Indiana Central College (now University of Indianapolis).  He later earned his Master’s degree from Butler University in Indianapolis.  He was a science teacher at both Decatur Central High School and Jasper High School.  

Ray was the American Baseball High School Association Director for four years, the Decatur Central High School Baseball Coach in Indianapolis from 1974-1976, and the Jasper High School Baseball Coach from 1976-1987, where he provided coaching support up until his passing, including providing color commentary for WITZ coverage of Jasper Baseball.  He was President of the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association in 1981, the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame Director from 1977-2025, and the president of the Dubois County Sportsmans Club from 1988-1993.

He was a Jasper City Councilman from 2004-2016, and was awarded a key to the city.  In 1966, he and his wife, Janet were charter members of Valley Mills Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana; Ray had been a Lay Minister for the First Christian Church in Troy, Indiana, from 1979-2015, and was currently a member of Redemption Christian Church in Jasper, Indiana. 

He was inducted into the University of Indianapolis Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005, the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1990, and the Jasper High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2022.

2025 marked the 33rd year of the Indiana High School Baseball Association Hall of Fame Golf Classic at Sultan’s Run, which Ray developed to support activities at the Hall of Fame located at Vincennes University Jasper Campus.

Ray enjoyed all sports, especially baseball and the Cincinnati Reds.  He also enjoyed hunting and golf. 

Surviving is his wife of 65 years, Janet Howard, Jasper, IN, five children, Kim (John) Wagner, St. Henry, IN, Kelly (Mary) Howard, Jasper, IN, Jon (Christina) Howard, Celestine, IN, Todd (Kristen) Howard, Westfield, IN, and Darren (Christine) Howard, Jasper, IN, 9 grandchildren, Jason Wagner, Eric Howard, Kyle Howard, Stephanie Tropp, Phill Smith, Miranda Crow, Jacob Howard, Ben Howard, and Mackenzie Howard, 10 great grandchildren, two sisters, Linda (Joe) Welch, Indianapolis, IN, Cindy (Scott) Shaw, Greenwood, IN, and Becky (Mike) Nangle, Ocean Springs, MS, and one brother, David (Ivy) Howard, Gilbert, AZ. 

Preceding him in death are his parents, one grandson, Luke Howard, one sister, Susan Howard, and two brothers, Richard and Mark Howard.

A funeral service for Raymond H. Howard will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at Redemption Christian Church in Jasper, Indiana, with burial to follow in Fairview Cemetery in Jasper.  A visitation will be held from 2:00pm-7:00pm on Monday, December 1, 2025, at Redemption Christian Church in Jasper, and two hours before services at the church on Tuesday from 9:00am-11:00am.

In lieu of flowers and gifts, memorial contributions may be made to the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in Jasper, Indiana.