James William Howarth

James (Jim) William Howarth was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, on July 20, 1932 to Frank Matthew Howarth and Margaret Howarth (Kish). He was the second of 5 children: his older brother Robert (Bob), and younger siblings Frank, Margaret (Peggy McCoy), and Kenneth (Kenny).

The family moved from New Jersey to El Cajon, CA, when Jim was 6. In high school he enjoyed track and field, especially shot put. His lifelong fascination with aviation began during his school years, and he kept a collection of model aircraft he both fabricated and assembled.

He married Marilyn Anita Bryant in 1954 and had four children: Steve, John, Gary, and Paul. The couple later divorced.

Jim pursued his lifelong love of aviation by completing his BS in Engineering with a mechanical emphasis at San Diego State College, and enjoyed a 50+ year career in aerospace by working at Convair, Rockwell International, and Boeing North American. His time at Convair was spent designing systems on airplanes, and in 1973 he joined Rockwell as part of the Space Shuttle design team. He eventually became the Subject Matter Expert for the Space Shuttle’s main engine cryogenic fuel loading system which involved much pondering over the effectiveness of the anti-geyser line.

In 1970 he met Truddy Ann Halligan (née Berg) and the couple married in 1974 in Lake Tahoe. They lived their 52 years of married life together in Long Beach, CA, and had two children: Samantha and David. Truddy passed away on May 2, 2026.

Jim entered eternal rest on August 3, 2026. He was preceded in death by his grandson Jesse in 2019, and his sons Steve and Gary in 2021. He is survived by his siblings: Bob, Frank, Peggy, and Kenny; sons: John, Paul, and David; daughter: Samantha; grandsons: Cody and Dillon; and granddaughters: Tori, May, Julia, and Josephine.

He is dearly missed.