Winchester Newspaper Obituary posting July 10, 2008

Jack B. Howard, age 70, of Winchester, MA, formerly of Tompkinsville, KY, died peacefully after a long, courageous struggle with brain cancer, on Monday, July 7, 2008. He was the husband of Carolyn Howard. They have resided in Winchester for 35 years. He was born and raised in Tompkinsville, KY. His early education was in a one-room school house which offered no science class. In spite of this, he moved on to the University of Kentucky and furthered his studies at Pennsylvania State University, graduating with a doctoral degree in the field of Fuel Technology in 1965. Jack then joined the MIT Department of Chemical Engineering as a Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow. He was hired as the youngest Assistant Professor, teaching first year students Chemical Engineering, just as he studied the subject himself. As his career blossomed over the next thirty seven years he achieved tenure at MIT and an endowed Chair. He was such humble man, three weeks went by before telling his family about this great honor. In 1995, he was named the first holder of the Hoyt C. Hottel Chair of Chemical Engineering. Jack was a world-renowned expert on high temperature chemistry, especially mechanisms and kinetics of reactions in combustion, fuel processing, materials synthesis, and waste destruction. He made seminal contributions to many challenging research areas, including formation and oxidation polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fullerenes and soot in flames as well as pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion of coal, biomass and solid waste. He was also the inventor of the combustion synthesis technology for fullerene production. Jack's expertise with these important issues, at the forefront of energy challenges facing the world, will be deeply missed by many colleagues around the world. Jack was not one to pause for long. After his retirement from MIT in 2002, he founded his own nanotechnology company, Nano-C, Inc., in Westwood, MA, a leading developer of nanostructured carbon materials, including fullerenes, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and their chemical derivatives. He participated actively in this company which holds many patents in the field of nano-carbon technology that will continue to benefit scientific developments in years to come Jack was an avid hiker, reader, traveler, and had an enormous love for discovery – values he shared with his wife and children. He had a tremendous love for the Lord and before his passing he rejoiced in the testimony that he and his wife had written. On their behalf, Carolyn presented it before the congregation at Park Street Church in Boston, on June 29, 2008. He is survived by his daughter Courtenay Howard of Winchester, MA, his son Jonathan Howard and his spouse, Megan Coleman of Somerville, MA, and he was also grandfather-to-be. He was the son of Opal and the late Hugh Howard; brother of Keith Howard and his spouse, Paula; Myra Bushong; Bess Abney and her spouse, Roy; and the late Kenny Howard. Also, he was uncle and great-uncle to their many children. He was brother-in-law to Michael Butler and his spouse, Gwen; David Butler and his spouse, Vicki; Suzanne Butler and her spouse, Rob Conrad; and Jan Fisher Butler; as well as, uncle and great-uncle to their many children. His funeral will be held at 10:30am on Wednesday, July 16th at Park Street Church, One Park Street, Boston, MA. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. A private burial for the family has been planned in Tompkinsville, KY. For those who wish to make donations, in lieu of flowers, they may be made to either of the following, in memory of Jack: 1. The Jack B. Howard Memorial Fund at MIT In-Patient Hospice Program, in care of Kathleen Dwyer, MIT Medical Department,
77 Massachusetts Avenue,
Cambridge, MA 02139;

2. The University of Kentucky,
College of Engineering, 251 Ralph G. Anderson Bldg, Lexington, KY 40506; or
3. The Missionary Program at Park Street Church, 1 Park Street, Boston, MA 02108. Today and always, his family celebrates Jack's life since he is eternally with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.