Madison Magazine Editor Howell dies of cancer
11:02 PM 11/24/03
William R. Wineke Wisconsin State Journal

Brian Howell, 53, editor of Madison Magazine since 1997, died Sunday of lung cancer. <

He was one of Madison's most popular journalists and had, since assuming the editorship of the magazine, become recognized as a civic leader as well. <

A native of South Dakota, Howell began his journalism career in Missoula, Mont., where he worked for 11 years before joining the staff of the Wisconsin State Journal. He had worked first as the State Journal's national/foreign editor and, then, as its features editor from 1991 until he left to join Madison Magazine. <

He was an admired editor at both publications because of his abilities to work with writers, to bring from them their best efforts and to convince them they were part of something larger than themselves. Those same qualities made him a popular teacher at UW-Madison. Hours before his death, professor James Baughman, director of the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication, called him to tell him he had been awarded the school's Director's Award for his contributions to journalism and public service. <

He was diagnosed with cancer last January but continued editing the magazine until a few days ago and was making lunch plans even as he entered the hospital a week ago to begin an experimental treatment. <

But Howell was more than a journalist and he was more than a disease. He was one of Madison's characters, a man people liked to be around, a man who seemed always eager for the next challenge. <

He drove a succession of used cars - the most memorable being a Toyota van he purchased sight unseen in winter and then spent months trying to deodorize when the weather warmed up. He also putted around in a 1950s-era Chevrolet pickup and in one memorable attempt to regain lost youth he purchased a used Harley Davidson motorcycle. <

His wife, Patricia, a Monona Grove school teacher, and his children, Katherine, 22, Allison, 20, and Joseph, 16, were his life and he was even willing to cancel golf games - a decision he didn't make often or easily - to attend their school events. <

Howell knew the odds of beating lung cancer, but he maintained hope of being on the winning side of those odds until his last days. <

He said frequently he was irritated by the fact the first question anyone asked him when learning of his disease was whether he smoked, a question he said carried the "implicit suggestion that I'd done this to myself." <

Lung cancer, he said in an essay published in this month's edition of his magazine, kills more people every year than breast, colon, prostate and pancreatic cancer combined, yet the federal government funds lung cancer research at a level lower than that of either breast cancer or prostate cancer. <

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 5101 Schofield St. <

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Gunderson Funeral Home, 5203 Monona Drive, where a scripture service is scheduled for 4 p.m. followed by a service of remembrance, at which Howell's friends will be invited to speak.