Jerry Dean Howell

Jerry Howell. Obituary.

         Brain the size of a planet. Tireless inventor,

    Ceaseless seeker of knowledge. Devoted husband,

    supportive uncle, proud father, doting grandfather.

            Nuclear Engineer. Mellifluous baritone.

                           Punster extraordinaire. Now embarked on that magical trip

         back to stardust, back to the infinite cosmos,

                   that was his fascination and delight.

In his own words:

For my epitaph, I am thankful for my God-given blessings listed below:

1. My good fortune of being brought into the world by parents who blessed me with genetic intelligence. 

1. My Father: mental discipline and the determination to make positive things happen.
2. My Mother: Love of reading and learning and the desire to enjoy and share love with family, friends, and co-workers.
3. From both: Creativity and the determination to use it to make a positive contribution to society and the world.

1. The blessing of having a daughter who has provided me with:

1. A spacious room outfitted with everything needed to live a comfortable life. Books. TV. Microwave. Comfy chair. Alexa. Comfy bed. Played piano to sooth my soul. 
2. Surrounded me with love and caring. Took me with her to churches to sing; to enjoy organ, piano, handbells; to listen to profound sermons; to enjoy the fellowship of friends. Took me to doctors from Optum and VA. Took me on outings, to the gym, to visit friends and family. Sat with me sharing my love of the Universe through Sagan, DeGrasse- Tyson, Hawkings, Webb telescope. Rubbed my shoulders and tended my wounds. Loved me, no matter what.
3. Prepared my favorite foods (chicken nuggets (“oval-not rectangles. Cut-not pulverized”), French fries(“thin, crispy, but not hard-Inedible!”), Corn. Well, butter. With corn on the side.
4. Provided caregivers who cared. Respected. Became my friends.
5. Back up care from a partner who was helpful, friendly, supportive, a respected intelligent expert in audio & sound equipment. 
6. Grandchildren who blessed me with cerebral conversation, fun-filled outings, tender care, and passionate piano/singing from the child who carried on his grandmother’s musical spirit. 

                                         IMPORTANT FACTS

1. Because of my Mothers’ reading to me, and my ensuing ability for insatiable reading; the school system, after testing me, promoted/advanced me three grades, so I graduated High School at age 14 with good grades. 
2. Colleges:
   1. Phoenix College
   2. California State University Northridge
   3. Pierce College
   4. University of Colorado
3. College Degrees:
   1. Masters: Educational Psychology
   2. Masters: Electrical Engineering 
   3. Masters: Electronics Engineering
      
4. Early Work: (Youth)
   1. Delivery (bicycle/newspapers, and little red wagon/veges that restaurants had thrown out. Depression years)
   2. Restaurant (dishwashing/soda jerk/waiter)
5. Post Aerospace work (retirement)
   1. Science teacher, LAUSD
   2. Consultant (engineering)
6. Aerospace/Nuclear Reactor work 1948-1998 (most important)

Working in the nuclear power field 

                Nuclear Reactors are very large machines in which uranium and other large/heavy and unstable elements are caused/triggered to go into “fissioning” very rapidly and continually, in which they “split” or divide into smaller, less heavy elements and in doing so, (and this is the most important fact), generate very large amounts of heat. This heat is carried away by a coolant, which may be sodium (dangerous, as leaks can cause bad fires (as happened at Santa Susanna with the SRE (Sodium Reactor Experiment) Reactor. The fast-moving neutrons resulting from the fissioning process, in order to result in more fissioning, must be “moderated”, (slowed down) to a slower speed. This is done with a “moderator”, which was graphite in the SRE. It could also be done by a material which serves as both moderator and coolant, which is a type of wax-like material called terphehyl. 

(He did not get to finish this memory. He wrote all these words from his own memories. Once a genius, always a genius. Even at 96 and 1/3! 😊)