Howard Wilson Watson Hales
November 27th, 1960 – November 16th, 2025
Howard Wilson Watson Hales was born in a snowstorm Nov. 27, 1960, to Richard (Dick) and Edna Hales in Dryden, On.
He was raised for 6 years in Minnitaki, Ontario, then moved to Dryden.
He attended Eagle River, Hillcrest and Pinewood schools and went on to graduate grade 13 in Dryden High School, furthering his education in the University of Manitoba, majoring in Art History, and had a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
As an avid collector of comics and collectable items, he owned and operated a comic shop called ‘Howie’s Collectables’, on King St. in Dryden. He also worked as cook in restaurants and baker in Tim Horton’s, worked with Tree Nurseries, meat dept. in Extra Foods and in various departments in Safeway for many years. After his early retirement from Safeway, he worked the last few years at the Best Western just prior to his death.
Howard loved basketball, yet never having played the game himself, he kept a record of all the games, players and stats and taped the games so as not to miss a game on tv. Howard loved camping, swimming, music, drawing and drama.
Over the years, Howard attended many music concerts, so many he kept his cancelled tickets in a frame, some of these were ‘The Who’, ‘David Bowie’ and Paul McCartney and so many more. Howard acted in both the High School Drama Club and later on in the Shoestring Theatre that he co-founded in Dryden.
He was also a member of the Agriculture Society in Dryden for a few years.
Many people may not know that Howard painted the round 4H sign that appears at the top of and on the Agriculture building at the fairgrounds.
Howard did play the guitar as a pastime, but he mostly enjoyed listening to his HUGE collection of records and CDs of his favourite artists.
Although Howard liked women and had lots of friends, he never found “the One” and he didn’t have any children.
Howard was the first Hales boy of his generation and he was the last Hales boy of his whole family line.
Leaving behind to mourn are his two sisters, Lois Finlayson and Elaine Hales, one aunt, Grace Weberg, 1 nephew, 3 nieces and 8 great nieces and nephews plus 15 cousins.
He was predeceased by his parents Richard and Edna Hales, his younger brother Richard Hales jr. and a Cousin Wayne Hartley, and a favourite uncle, Stan Hales passed away 6 weeks before him.
Many thanks go out to doctors and nurses from both the Winnipeg Health Science Centre and the Dryden Regional Health Centre. Howard’s doctor and friend Dr. Bruce Cook, and to Howard’s best friend Bruce Eisner and his wife Wanda for always being there for him.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to diabetes research or to the Dryden Agriculture Society.
There will be no funeral at this time, and interment of ashes will take place at a later date.
