I'm responding to this thread because of my belief that who Howard was/is is worthy of us keeping him in front of us for a while longer.
Though I truly speak only for myself, I am comfortable that each of us that worked with Howard at Bandon Dunes, and elsewhere, were touched by who he was, by his spirited and high manner, by his energy and passion, and by his skill, developed over his very productive and full life, a skill that helped each and every one of us to elevate how we interact with each other & how we interact with the earth.
He didn't necessarily give us answers, but he surely helped us ask the right questions.....his skill wasn't in arriving at conclusions, but in being fully involved, and inspiring others, to be in the great journey of discovery.
That is how I hold Howard McKee.
The last time I saw Howard the other supts at Bandon Dunes and I were having lunch at the Trails, and through the side door bounded Howard, smiling, focused, engaged. He sat himself at our table, and within minutes, through his energy and his charm, had each of us happily throwing our hats in the circle, to a man agreeing to be engaged in the work of sustainability at Bandon Dunes. After we were all hooked, after we were touched by him, well.........off he went to the next table, selling, no doubt, to every staffer seated there, a free ticket on the journey of caring for Bandon Dunes, for each other, and for the earth.
That same afternoon he was at the Agronomy Center, exhorting staffers to "keep the spirit, keep the soul of Bandon Dunes alive."
So guess what? We are. Remembering Howard, and doing the work, his and our inspired work!
That is the kind of man Howard has been to me, and I am blessed by it, and richer for having known him.
I pass those blessings on to all of you, and yours, this holiday season!
Tom