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Howard William Cromwell, who worked for many years with the Southampton public schools, died on April 5 at the Hamptons Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing. He was 93.
Mr. Cromwell was born on January 11, 1922, to Joe and Florence Cromwell. He attended Albert Leonard Junior High School and then New Rochelle High School in New Rochelle. On February 11, 1942, he enlisted with the United States Military, and he served with the Tuskegee Airman of the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. Honorably discharged in 1945, he worked in Mount Vernon as a boiler engineer for several years.
On January 24, 1969, he married Betty Bell Douglas, who predeceased him in 2010, of the Shinnecock Indian Reservation. Mr. Cromwell built a beautiful home on the Reservation for himself and his wife. This home would serve to create warmth, happiness and many memories among immediate and extended family members, survivors said. The couple also enjoyed traveling together and visited many places including Spain, Morocco and Egypt.
Like his father, Mr. Cromwell was a skilled gardener who seasonally cultivated varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers and fruits for his family’s enjoyment. He was also a firm disciplinarian who taught his grandchildren the importance of respecting their elders and always being kind and understanding in the presence of others.
He was a longtime member of Tyre Lodge No. 91 in Riverhead, where he was a devoted Mason and well respected among the brotherhood. Just prior to his retirement, he worked many years with the Southampton School District as a custodian.
Mr. Cromwell is survived by his daughters, Faith, Deborah and Deanna Cromwell; daughter-in-law, Gaby Douglas; grandchildren, Binh, Eric, Christina and Hai; and great-grandchildren, Kai and Henri.
The family received friends on April 9 at the Brockett Funeral Home, where a Masonic service took place. The Reverend Michael Smith officiated at a funeral service at the Brockett Funeral Home and interment with military honors followed at Shinnecock Cemetery.
on Apr 13, 2015