Howard, M.D., J.D., Matthew L.

Matthew L. Howard, M.D., J.D. - age: 70
(November 09, 1939 to April 12, 2010 )
Resident of Ukiah, California

Obituary:
Matthew L. Howard, M.D., J.D. died in his sleep after a long illness on April 12 at age 70 years.
He will be remembered by his family and friends as a man whose unfailing integrity was matched only by his boundless intellect. He was, in every sense, a Renaissance man -- he earned an undergraduate degree in Chemistry and worked as a lab chemist, played college soccer, had a long and successful career as a surgeon, and then became an acclaimed lawyer at age 55. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, who learned over the course of his life how to express his deep love for those he loved deeply. In his final recreational excursion, he sat on the infield grass on a warm Spring day in Tiburon, and watched his 6 year-old granddaughter joyfully play her second softball game (while his younger granddaughter tried to eat the grass). He later proclaimed the experience a highlight of his life.

As a medical professional, he will be remembered as the first otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist) to practice full time in Ukiah, California, a position he accepted after an honorable discharge from the United States Air Force with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After moving to Ukiah with his wife and two young sons, he practiced medicine alone until joined by an associate after 4 years of solo practice. He built a thriving medical practice and soon earned a reputation as an outstanding surgeon and diagnostician.

As a legal professional, he will also be remembered for the 15 years he practiced Social Security disability law in Ukiah, helping many disabled people obtain the benefits to which the law entitled them, but which, in his view, an incompetent bureaucracy tried to deny them. His efforts as a lawyer led him to carry out dozens of federal court appeals on behalf of clients. His record on appeal in the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit was well above average.
His principal professional interest was in continuing education – teaching the next generation of doctors and lawyers to better carry out their duties. For this reason he spent twenty years as a faculty member at the University of California School of Medicine, first in Sacramento and later in San Francisco. He wrote many articles and made many presentations at medical and legal meetings. He wrote chapters for several text books. He was awarded a Certificate of Honor by the American Academy of Otolaryngology/ Head and Neck Surgery for his efforts in continuing medical education. For his efforts in legal continuing education, and for attempting to improve the process by which disability decisions are made, the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives, the leading organization of attorneys in the field, named him a winner of the Sweeney Distinguished Service Award in 2008. Fewer than two dozen attorneys have earned this honor.
He was an instrument-rated private pilot, avid shooter and hunter, advocate for the Second Amendment, and certified rifle instructor. He ran for Congress as a Libertarian in 1992, meeting expectations with a fourth place finish in a four-way race, but he enjoyed every minute of the campaign. He loved opera, holding a season ticket to the San Francisco Opera for many years, and he loved Baroque music.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Cheryl Howard, who he met in the horseback riding club at UCLA and with whom he had a rich and wonderful life filled with love and with many excellent adventures and travels. He is also survived by his sons Greg and Geoff, and by his two granddaughters, Cameron and Emerson, who were the light and pleasure of his last years.
He was a giant among men; we lost our giant. At his request, no services will be held.