Howard Lee Sergeant
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Howard L Sergeant, 75,of Marion, IL, a renaissance man and U.S. Army veteran passed away Feb. 6, 2023 at Herrin Hospital.
Howard, the middle child of Howard D. and Dorothy L. Sergeant, was born Nov. 20, 1947. He was born in Hastings, NE and lived his first 15 years on the family farm in nearby Juniata. He graduated in 1970 from Anderson College, Anderson, IN before joining the army during the Vietnam War. Using computers, he served as a code breaker for the Army Security Agency.
Upon honorable discharge, Howard moved to the Chicago area working first for G. D. Searle Analytic where he was a programmer on the team that developed their first CT scanner. During this time, he attended Sunny Place Church of God in Addison where he met the Minton family and then dated and married Diane in 1976.
Howard was a life-long learner, enjoyed new challenges, and wished to always serve his heavenly Father with his head, heart, and hands. He left the medical instrumentation industry in 1992. He then served as administration pastor at Celebration Community Church in Hanover Park, IL and worked at Kline Creek Farm, an 1890s living history farm. Whilst there he oversaw the trades including coopering, blacksmithing, machine repair, barn, and outbuilding construction.
Howard and Diane raised their children in Wheaton, IL, living there in the same home for over 30 years. With only their youngest child they moved to Decatur in 2010. Howard worked at Camp Warren as a property manager for four years and volunteered in many leadership capacities at Life Builders Church of God until moving to Marion in 2019.
Howard is survived by his wife, Diane, and their children Daniel (Melissa) of Rochelle, IL, David (Lydia) of St. Louis, MO, Thomas (Jackie) of St. John, IN, Debra (Peter)Lammers of Cedar Rapids, IA, and Seth (Aly) of Sullivan, IL and his 20 grandchildren: Kaylee, Olivia, Nathan, Natalie, Chloe, Samuel, Levi, Ella, Logan, Rebecca, Trevor, Juliet, Lilian, Sawyer, Heidi, Magnolia, Lincoln, Scarlet, Kepler, and Leelynn. Howard is also survived by his brother, Robert (Holly) of Hastings, NE, stepbrother, Merlyn (Patricia) Bartels of Lincoln, NE and stepsister, Marlene Hodgson of Lexington, NE, father-in-law and mother-in-law, William and Marcella Minton of Marion, IL, brother-in-law, William (Ingrid) Minton of Marion, IL and sister-in-law, Linda (Michael) Boggess of Jacksonville, FL. Howard has many nieces, nephews, cousins, and one aunt, Clarys Boyle of Payson, AZ.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy L. Sergeant, Howard D. Sergeant, step-mother, Della M. Sergeant, and his sister and brother-in-law, Beverly K. and Ron Riese.
Anderson University is on a mission to educate students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 60 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult and graduate programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized among top colleges for its business, computer science, cybersecurity, dance, engineering, nursing, and teacher education programs. Anderson University was established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God.