Howard E. Wilsmann, age 89, a resident of Manitowoc, entered eternal life on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at Laurel Grove Assisted Living in Manitowoc.

Howard was born in Manitowoc on February 6, 1930, son of John F. and Ottilia (Jens) Wilsmann. Following graduation from Lincoln High School in 1947, he attended the UW-Manitowoc for two years, then transferred to Milwaukee State Teachers' College.  He received a Bachelor of Secondary Education Degree from Wisconsin State College-Milwaukee in 1952.  Following graduation, he entered the United States Marine Corps where after basic training, was assigned to the 9 ^th Marine Regiment, 3 ^rd Marine Division, being stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA before being deployed to Japan in 1953.

Upon discharge from the Marine Corps in 1954, Howard began a 36 year career in education at Peshtigo High School from 1954 to 1957. He returned to Manitowoc in 1957 and taught at Wilson Junior High School (1957 to 1958) and at Lincoln High School (1958 to 1967).  Howard also completed his post graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and received his Master's Degree in Education in 1961.

In 1967 Howard began his administrative work in curriculum and instruction as administrator of the Cooperative Curriculum Development Center, a federal project serving public and parochial schools in Manitowoc, Sheboygan, and Calumet counties. As part of his activities in that position, he conducted in-service training for school districts throughout Wisconsin as well as several other states.  In 1970, at the end of the federal project, Howard continued in curriculum/instruction supervision in the Manitowoc Public Schools, retiring in 1990 as Assistant Superintendent-Instruction.

Throughout his education career, he was active in leadership of professional organizations. Howard was the president of the Peshtigo Education Association, the Manitowoc Education Association, the Northeast Wisconsin Education Association and the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, a professional education fraternity.

Since retirement, Howard has been a board member and president of the Manitowoc County Retired Educators Association and the Wisconsin Retired Educators Association. In 1997 he was honored as Wisconsin's Retired Educator of the Year.

He was active in community organizations, being a past president of the Noon and the Sunrise Optimist Clubs and the Board of Directors of the UW-Manitowoc Foundation. Howard served on the fund-raising committee for the new Manitowoc Public Library and also for the Heritage Center of the Manitowoc County Historical Society.  He volunteered as an usher at the Capitol Civic Centre and also as a tour guide at Pinecrest Historical Village.

For more than fifty years Howard was an organist at Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church. In addition he directed the junior and senior choirs at that church and was co-director of the Lakeshore Lutheran Chorale for 20 years.  He also served several terms on the Immanuel Church Council, including terms as president and treasurer of the congregation.

On August 6, 1955, Howard married the former Betty Wunsch from Sheboygan Falls who also had a career in education. She preceded him in death on October 3, 2018.

He is survived by one daughter Mary (Armin) Kaiser of Gerlingen, Germany, and one son, Mark (Ione) Wilsmann of Short Hills, NJ. Also surviving are five grandchildren Katja Kaiser of Berlin, Germany, and Kevin Kaiser of Munich, Germany, Lauren and Madison Wilsmann, Denver, CO, and Morgan Wilsmann, Washington, DC, one step grandson, Alex Permison, Short Hills, NJ, one niece, Nancy Wilsmann, Sun Prairie.  He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Ottilia Wilsmann, wife, Betty Wilsmann, one brother, Elmer Wilsmann and one sister, Louise Zigmund.

Memorial services will be held 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 23, 2019 at Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church, 916 Pine Street, Manitowoc. Officiating will be Rev. Daniel Sims.  Relatives and friends may call at Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 from 9 a.m. until the time of services at 11 a.m.  Following the memorial service there will be a luncheon held at the Harrigan Parkside Gathering Center, 620 North Water Street, Manitowoc, located on the south property of the Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home.    Cremation has taken place at the Harrigan Parkside Crematory and Chapel. Burial of the cremated remains will take place at Knollwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate memorials to a memorial fund being established in Howard's name. Online condolences to the family may be sent to www.harriganparkside.com

The Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home and Crematory, North 11 ^th and St. Clair streets, Manitowoc, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.