Retired Covenant minister Howard Redman passed away on February 18, 2024, in Yakima, Washington. He was 95.
Howard Allen Redman was born to parents Myrtle (Allen) and David Redman on January 6, 1929. He was the first of three children and grew up in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Howard was so anxious for Jesus to return to earth that he started to play the trumpet in third grade because Thessalonians 4:16 states, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout…and with the sound of the trumpet of God,” and he wanted to be that trumpet player. He started his first trumpet quartet to play and minister at his high school youth center. He was also involved with his school’s theatre and musical productions. He spent most summers working at Christian camps and playing his trumpet. He attended Philadelphia School of the Bible for four years before attending Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, where he formed and toured with the Melody-Aires, a brass ensemble that led evangelistic meetings. He was also a member of the Moody Choral, which traveled all over the country, performing musical programs. It was on one of those tours that he met his future wife, Christine.
Howard married (Edith) Christine Barville on August 27, 1955, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Together they had two children, Ruth and Rebekah. After Christine passed away in 2001, Howard married Ruth (“Ricky”) Stengle. They lived half the year in Yakima and the other half in Riverside, Illinois, until Ricky passed away in 2016.
Howard served several churches in other denominations, as well as the Evangelical Covenant Church in Buffalo, Minnesota, and First Covenant Church in San Francisco, California. He was also the dean of music for Simpson College in San Francisco, California.
Howard’s love for people who were hurting or did not know Jesus was evident in the way he lived. He and his wife, Chris, would sit in their garage and wave at the neighbors and cars passing by, which led to their knowing almost every neighbor and bus driver. Kids in the neighborhood would stop by, and others would stop by for prayer, advice, or just to visit.
Howard was preceded in death by his parents, Myrtle and David; sister, Evelyn Davis; brother, David Redman; brother-in-law, Johnny Davis; sister-in-law, Peggy Redman; his first wife, E. Christine; and second wife, Ricky Stengle. Howard is survived by his daughters and their husbands, Ruth Erickson (Rick), Rebekah “Becky” Pierce (David); his four grandchildren and their spouses, Rachael Lafferty (Mike); Anders Erickson (Bethany), Jonathon Pierce (Stephanie), and Joshua Pierce (Amy); eight great-grandchildren, Edith, Liam, Aayla, Evelyn, Lily, Makaylyn, Aubriella, and Landon; stepsons Martin Stengle (Marlene) and Gary Stengle (Linda); and stepgrandchildren Heather, Steven, and Scott (Allison).
A visitation was held on March 8, 2024, at Keith and Keith Funeral Home in Yakima, Washington. A funeral service followed on March 9, 2024, at Rainier Memorial Center in Yakima.
Peace be to his memory
