Remembering Jeff Howe

Jeff Howe and his family

The Montana Labor Movement and MFPE lost a long time and dedicated staff member, Jeff Howe, on Saturday May 31, 2025. Jeff was involved in an accident on the Lochsa River, where he loved to spend time, and did not survive.

“We are all devastated by this loss. Our deepest sympathy and love go out to Jeff’s wife Laura, their dogs Wanda, Rosie, Pearl and their cat, Niko. Jeff dedicated his career to working with MFPE members to help them succeed as union members in the workplace and touched thousands of lives through his efforts,” said MFPE President Amanda Curtis.

In January of 1989 he led the effort to organize the maintenance staff at the Missoula Parks Department with the Montana Public Employees Association. Jeff served as his chapter president until he went to work for MPEA in 2005. Jeff was the kind of worker that management loved and hated. He could fix and build anything, and torment supervisors all day.

Jeff was unsure about coming to work for MPEA and questioned what we saw in him that would make him good at this work. He didn’t see it as religion or a calling, rather he believed in equity and fair treatment. He was also incredibly intelligent and able to deescalate situations and solve problems. He worked as a field representative for MPEA from 2005 to 2018 when MPEA and MEA-MFT merged to form the Montana Federation of Public Employees where he worked as a field consultant out of Missoula.

Jeff loved skiing, rafting, whitewater, music, photography, hunting, biking and later took up cross country BMW motorcycles. He also loved to cook. When Jeff came to hunting camp, everyone gained weight.

Jeff was a diehard Grateful Dead fan. He was probably born ten years too late as he’d have made a perfect hippie. He travelled all over to see them play and could rattle off every song they played.

Jeff didn’t have any children, but he was amazingly calm around them and was known as the ‘Lochsa Grandpa’. He also had all the dad jokes - “Listen, here’s the icing on the gravy…’. He referred the bump on his forehead as his ‘carbunkle’; when he shouldered his rifle he called it ‘Nina Totten Gun’ (a spin on an NPR newscaster), and any time he fell he immediately yelled out ‘DOWN GOES FRAZIER!’

‘I’m going to miss Jeff’s steadfast friendship. He came to work for me when I asked. He stuck with me in the merger when I asked. He stayed patient and continued working hard through all of the changes when I asked. He trusted me and I truly hope I was able to live up to that gift.’ said Quint Nyman, MFPE Deputy Executive Director.

Jeff- go find deep powder, dusty backroads, white water, and lazy rivers on hot afternoons. You will be missed.

Quint Nyman

Deputy Executive Director, MFPE

Vice President-Treasurer, Montana AFL-CIO

Jeff Howe, Raymond Berg MFPE Hall of Famer and former staff member, and Quint Nyman