By Donna M. Perry,Staff Writer
New Vineyard residents, officials remember Selectman Jerry Howard, a kind man who helped the town and others.

NEW VINEYARD – Selectman Jerry Howard didn’t give in or give up his fight to live, he was just brave enough to admit it was his time to go, his wife, Sandy, said Tuesday.

Howard, 55, a former town fire chief, died Friday at home holding the hands of his wife and daughter, Kirsten Northrup.

Howard’s health had deteriorated over the last 14 years. His kidneys failed and he had heart issues, including three heart surgeries. His last heart operation was two years ago when he had a valve replaced and he had been struggling since then, Sandy Howard said.

He had gotten a couple of serious infections and was fighting one prior to his death, she said.

He was on antibiotics for an infection, but with all the medicine he couldn’t eat, she said.

Knowing he was no longer a candidate for heart surgery, and knowing there was nothing else that could be done for him, her husband opted to come home from the hospital to spend his time with family.

“He put up a brave fight for quite a while,” Sandy Howard said. “I don’t feel like he gave in or gave up, I think he was brave enough to know he would die … I’m glad he was here when he died.”

Jerry Howard set goals for himself, first to see his daughter graduate from school, then college and then to walk her down the aisle and dance with her at her wedding, Sandy Howard said.

He fulfilled those goals before he died.

Howard also was known as a leader in the Franklin County 4-H Working Steer Club and as an advocate for bringing a dialysis center to Wilton.

“He was a good old farm-type of person like a lot of us in Maine,” New Vineyard Town Clerk Arlene Davis said Tuesday.

Howard’s last official project as selectman was to spearhead an effort to get new windows in Smith Hall, where town meetings are held, Fay Adams, chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen, remembered Tuesday.

“I’m happy to say that before he passed on, we did see that come to fruition,” Adams said.

Though Howard missed meetings because of his illness, Adams said, “we worked well together. I think we got a lot done. I think we’ve accomplished some things since we’ve been here working together.”

Davis, the town clerk, recalled that Howard had a sense of humor.

“I guess he had to have a good sense of humor. He was sick for such a long time,” she said.

Howard worked well with everyone, she said, but had no problem speaking his mind.

He was good about it, she said, but if there was a problem, he wanted it checked out with the Maine Municipal Association.

Lenny Ellis, a New Vineyard resident, said Howard did a lot for the town.

“He was always fair,” Ellis said Tuesday. “If you had a problem, he would sit down and talk to you about it. He was always a giving person.”

Ellis said he remembered one time when someone needed money at the store, and Howard took it out of his own pocket.

“No questions asked,” he said. “He was an all-around good guy. He was more than willing to help.”