Marion "Dean" Howland, age 89, a resident of Bay Minette, Alabama, was born on August 31, 1936, in Coldwater, Kansas, and passed away on December 3, 2025, at the William F. Green Veterans Home, with family by his side. The son of Harry Howland Sr. and Martha Kindsvater Howland, Dean grew up with four siblings: Harry Jr., Leon, Darlene, and Betty. After high school, Dean set his sights on the horizon and joined the U.S. Navy. For 20 years he served as an airplane mechanic, eventually landing in Pensacola, where he planted roots that would grow for the rest of his life. Upon retiring from the Navy, he traded aircraft engines for car engines and became an auto mechanic before finding his true calling on the water. What began as deckhand work grew into Dean captaining a 42-foot Hatteras, guiding countless fishing trips out of Orange Beach with equal parts skill and his trademark dry sense of humor. Never one to sit still, Dean later bought The Keg in Orange Beach, which he ran for a decade. Long before any of his grandchildren were old enough to belly up to the bar, Dean had already sold it, although the good stories from those days remained on tap for years. He even roped his Keg crew into Mardi Gras mischief, founding a Mardi Gras Crewe which rolled with five floats, including a dolphin and a sailfish that may still be circulating the parade route today. Dean lived life the way he captained a boat: steady, capable, and always ready with a good natured jab. He could shoot pool like a pro and had the trophies to prove it. He loved going out to lunch, never skipped dessert, and always boxed up leftovers specifically for his beloved Chihuahua, Twinkles. His culinary reputation was legendary: his brisket was the stuff of family lore, and his catfish and hushpuppy fish fries were eagerly anticipated events. He hated peanuts, lettuce, and leftovers (unless, of course, they were for Twinkles), but he loved Waffle House and Cracker Barrel and ordered the same meal every single time. A builder by both instinct and hobby, Dean created everything from Big Green Egg tables to cabinets, beds, and entire houses. He built and sold several houses over the years, never staying put for too long, except when he was in his workshop surrounded by sawdust and the satisfaction of good work. Dean crafted a cherished home on the Alabama River, a place where his family still gathers, fishes, and remembers, with his own two hands. It was here where Dean traded in the salt water for freshwater upon discovering his love of crappie and jug fishing, and where he would end up spending countless hours with family and friends on the river. Gardening brought him joy, too. At Live Oak Village, he was affectionately known as the "resident gardener," a title he took as seriously as any rank he ever held in the Navy. Holidays were his favorite, and he loved hosting family, always making sure everyone felt welcome and loved. And if you visited him, you were guaranteed to hear his signature farewell: "Come back and see me." Dean is survived by his wife of 41 years, Sylvia; his children Rocky (Vanessa) Howland of Costa Rica, Randy (Michelle) Howland of Orange Beach, AL, and Debbie (Eddie) Duke of Bainbridge, GA; his stepchildren Shari Webster and Kim Landers, both of Mobile, AL, and Marcus (Melissa) Kuliska of Houston, TX; his grandchildren Magan Miller, Rachel Miller, Sarah Miller, Joshua Howland, Kieran Landers, Kelsey Landers, Lindsey (Forrest) Clark, and Jared Duke; and his great-grandchildren Cade Henderson, Adelynn Landers, Wayne Landers, Camden Howland, and Ari Haiser. He is preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, and his granddaughter Rachael Landers. The family extends heartfelt thanks to the staff and nurses at the William F. Green Veterans Home for the exceptional care provided to Dean, as well as to Community Hospice. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the William F. Green Veterans Home or Community Hospice.
August 31, 1936 — December 3, 2025
Arrangements will take place on Monday, December 8, 2025, at Mobile Memorial Gardens, with visitation beginning at 8:30 a.m. for family and open to friends from 9:00-10:00 a.m. A service will follow at 10:00 a.m., with burial afterward.
