Obituary of Howard Rathburn Northup

Age 90, of Newport Corner. It is with deep sadness we announce Howie’s passing on Sunday, December 1, 2024 in Hants Community Hospital, Windsor, with his loving family by his side.

Howard “Howie” as he was best known, was born on July 3, 1934 in Stanley, Hants County and was a son of the late Roy and Esther Mae (Ward) Northup.

Howie’s first job was with McKay’s Transfer at the early age of 14. He hauled milk cans to Twin Cities Dairy in Halifax and he was one of the first to cross the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge. He started Northup’s Transfer Trucking Co. and later became part owner of Midland Transport. Later he drove a dump truck for C. A. “Ches” Williams. He then worked for Sagadore Cranes and Irving Equipment as a front-end driver. In later years, he drove an 18-wheeler hauling furniture for Nothin’ Fancy. He finished his career driving a water truck for his son, Danny.

Howie was known as an avid cat lover and spent countless hours tending to his barn kitties as well as his own. He and his long-time partner, Debbie Dunbar, enjoyed going dancing at the Tower Lite (where they met) and the Windsor Legion. They enjoyed car drives and stopping at Tim’s for a coffee and donut.

Howie was an easy-going and well-liked person. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him, especially the love of his life, Debbie and his family.

Besides Debbie, he is survived by daughters, Susan White, Windsor; Sharon Barkhouse, Rawdon; Heather Northup, Yarmouth; sons, Danny (Angela), Brooklyn; Rick (Rosemary), Newport Corner; brothers, Eric (Joyce), Ellershouse; Garnet, Windsor; sisters, Marie (John), Falmouth; Marguerite, Ontario; grandchildren, Nick, Hannah, Jodi, Darcy, Kendra, Kevin and Jessica; great-grandchildren, Albie, Kaylyn, Charlie, Brooklyn, Jase, Elliott, Aiden and Sophia.

Besides his parents, Howie was predeceased by first wife, Rita Rockwell; brothers, Harold, Claude, Irving and Grant; sisters, Geraldine and Florence “Flossie”; step-son, Shawn Dunbar; sons-in-law, Danny Barkhouse, Bill White and Tom Atkinson.

Arrangements for cremation have been entrusted to DeMont Family Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 419 Albert St., Windsor (902-798-8317), where a funeral service will be held 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 11, Celebrant Helen Lindsay officiating. A reception will follow in the funeral home’s Elmcroft Reception Centre. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Howie may be made to Nova Scotia SPCA, PO Box 38073, Stn. Burnside, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1X2. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting: www.demontfamilyfuneralhome.ca