The establishment of the Community Center was perhaps the highlight of his career, after years of trying. Groundbreaking was March 1990. “Six years it took us, with the help of a lot of good people,” he said when it opened.Mel always believed that recreation was important to the city in many ways, and said, “People like to do all those things in the city where they live, not go out of town.”“What can you say about a man who picked up on everything to make something out of nothing? Mel had a very quick mind,” said Carl Barringer, a former longtime councilman and mayor. “He was just a fine guy and the creation of the Community Center was his just as much as anyone elses. It was his dream for the Santa Paula. Mel was part of the community and everything that went with it and he’ll be missed; he was loyal to Santa Paula.”Mel was also invaluable to Hospice of Santa Clara Valley, said Cathy Barringer, president of the board. “Mel was an enthusiastic board member, even at the 7 a.m. meetings his enthusiasm was contagious; he was always fun and conscientious.”“Mel is an individual who is really going to be missed, his involvement was so deep in the community,” said Mayor Don Johnson. “The Community Center was a Mel effort and just an example of his devotion to Santa Paula. He was the nicest gentleman in the world. . .his death is really a shock.”“Mel started working for Santa Paula the same year we married, 30 years ago,” said Lucy. “He loved Santa Paula and everyone loved him.”Being married to Mel was “an adventure. . .he was a rascal at home and at work, he loved women, he loved men, he loved everyone. He liked to be needed and to do good; like going to work for the chamber, he said it was a challenge and met that challenge. . .Mel got the chamber more members then it ever had. When he retired last week he said ‘I achieved what I wanted’ and a few days later he was gone. He was a wonderful man who loved me, loved his daughter Lori, loved his family, his friends. . .he’s going to be missed so much. He did everything for me, spoiled me and I loved it, he loved it and I adored him.”Viewing will be Thursday, June 14 from 3 to 9 p.m. at Skillin-Carroll Mortuary where services will be held Friday, June 15 at 1 p.m. A reception will follow at Santa Paula Community Center, “his second home,” said Lucy.And Mel shared his home, his wild jokes and tricks, his optimism and bright hopes for Santa Paula with the entire city, including those lucky ones who found themselves more than once at the other end of the yellow string and empty coffee cup. . .and who laughed the loudest along with the irrepressible Mel.
Mel Howery, former Rec Director, SP Chamber Exec, dies at 63
June 13, 2001
Santa Paula News
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The beauty of Mel Howery was that you always knew what to expect, whether it be a quick quip, tortured pun or the infamous mustard bottle that shot yellow - but realistic looking - string onto the most expensive wearing apparel at community gatherings; or the empty coffee cup-teaspoon trick, where reality was suspended time after time as the unsuspecting waited for the splash as Mel expertly fumbled in mock confusion right before the joke was revealed.
There is another thing that people also found beautiful about Mel. . .his absolute dedication to the same community he regularly joshed while he strictly maintained the city’s Recreation Department as its first director, one that saw success after success even through the tough times of fiscal shortfalls during his 26-year career.
When Mel retired in January 1997, he didn’t stay idle long: his talents and dedication were transferred to the Chamber of Commerce when he became Executive Director in January 2000, and within months he re-energized the ailing business group.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe beauty of Mel Howery was that you always knew what to expect, whether it be a quick quip, tortured pun or the infamous mustard bottle that shot yellow - but realistic looking - string onto the most expensive wearing apparel at community gatherings; or the empty coffee cup-teaspoon trick, where reality was suspended time after time as the unsuspecting waited for the splash as Mel expertly fumbled in mock confusion right before the joke was revealed.There is another thing that people also found beautiful about Mel. . .his absolute dedication to the same community he regularly joshed while he strictly maintained the city’s Recreation Department as its first director, one that saw success after success even through the tough times of fiscal shortfalls during his 26-year career.When Mel retired in January 1997, he didn’t stay idle long: his talents and dedication were transferred to the Chamber of Commerce when he became Executive Director in January 2000, and within months he re-energized the ailing business group.Mel, 63, died suddenly on Friday, June 8, in Santa Rosa while visiting friends with his wife, Lucia. The Howerys were on their way back from Reno where Mel had competed in a senior softball tournament for much of the week.“We’re broken-hearted, it’s unbelievable,” said Gabie Araiza-Reeves, who with her husband, Jim, were close friends of Mel and Lucia, known as Lucy.“Mel was such a fun person, a man people people couldn’t resist, he’d just walk in the room and people would love him. He made the Community Center. We’ve lost one one of the most precious people in Santa Paula that anyone could know. And Mel did so much for the chamber, he revived it when it was at its lowest point ever. . .he’d just retired,” a week before his death. “We all just loved him. . . he was the life of the party, telling jokes, pulling his tricks on everyone. And Mel would do anything in the world for you.”Born Melvin Lee Howery in Oklahoma on Jan. 3, 1938, his family soon moved to California. He was an outstanding athlete who received a basketball scholarship to Long Beach State University - he was a star player named to many state leagues - and retained his love of sports.Howery was Santa Paula’s first full-time recreation direction, joining the city in January 1971, and became a state-recognized recreation specialist. A mainstay of Kiwanis, he was a member for over three decades.As city Recreation Director, Mel spent the years improving programs, scrounging for monies, tackling any and all jobs that would make the recreation department first rate.
