Service Announcements

Howard A. Counts departed this life on June 20, 2022 at Atrium Health Main after a long life filled with purpose, service and love.

A Memorial Service celebrating his life will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at Jane M. Smith Memorial Church on the campus of Howard’s alma mater, Johnson C. Smith University, 100 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216. Visitation will begin at 10am and the service will follow at 11am. A Public service for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and Sigma Pi Phi will be held prior to the service. Long & Son Mortuary Service is in charge.

Condolences or cards, can be sent to the Counts Family at 233 King Owen Court, Charlotte, NC 28211. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider making a donation to the newly established Howard A. Counts Education Fund, created in his honor by The Women’s Intercultural Exchange and The Champions or Johnson C. Smith University Howard A. Counts Endowed Scholarship (STEM). Donations can be made online or mailed to:

WIE

P.O. Box 220236

Charlotte, NC  28222

www.wi-ce.net

or

Howard A. Counts Endowed Scholarship (STEM)

Johnson C. Smith University

JCSU, Institutional Advancement,

100 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216

Celebration of Life

Howard Algernon Counts was born in Charlotte, North Carolina November 30, 1946, the son of the late Reverend Herman L. Counts Sr. and Mrs. Olethea Wilson Counts. He entered into eternal rest on June 20, 2022, at Atrium Health Main in Charlotte, North Carolina.

As a young man he developed spiritually and intellectually. He studied at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire, and graduated from West Charlotte High in 1965. He continued his education at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. He graduated with honors from Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte NC in 1969 with a BS degree in Mathematics. Further studies included Cambridge Scientific Center, Boston, MA., and Statistics and Computer Science at the University of Georgia.

Howard’s excellent preparation empowered him for distinction in the field of Information Technology. Howard had an illustrious career having worked for IBM Corporation, NY., the University of Georgia, Athens, GA., and Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Charlotte, NC. During his years at Celanese, Howard rose through the Information Technology organization from programmer analyst to Chief Information Officer managing thousands of people all over the world. Howard traveled extensively during his career having spent time on every continent except Antarctica. During his tenure at Celanese, Howard was one of the highest-ranking minorities and was best known for his vision and innovation, benefiting the corporation in the competitive global textile industry. Howard was bestowed the honor to Chair the corporation’s first diversity initiative. He developed an outstanding diversity strategic plan which was hailed by civil rights leader, Vernon Jordan, and the entire Board of Directors of Hoechst Celanese.

In 2001 after retiring from Celanese, Howard founded ITS Consulting, a management and technology consulting firm. Hoechst Celanese requested that his company complete projects he implemented in Canada in tandem with KPMG, Hewlett Packard and Arinso International. In recent years, his passion was developing websites and programs for non-profit organizations.

Howard was the heart and soul of the Women’s Inter-Cultural Exchange (WIE) where he worked tirelessly over the last fifteen years with his beloved wife, Stephanie to build and move the organization toward excellence.

He met and married Stephanie Russell October 18, 1969. During their fifty-three-year marriage, Howard proved a loyal and supportive husband, blending his skills with Stephanie’s for career achievement and Civic contributions. He was also a devoted father, grandfather, and brother. Many people in his family and church depended on him. Howard genuinely cared about people and touched many, many lives helping all who were in need. He always remained humble and carried his Christian values from his childhood, making it easy to continue his walk with God.

Howard and Stephanie’s home was always open to family, extended family and friends throughout his life and treating them as if they were his own. He inherited the true meaning of “Family” from his mother and instilled in all of his family members the importance of love and unity. Part of his gift and legacy to his family is his research on their ancestral heritage, ensuring their history is passed on to future generations.

At an early age, Howard was baptized as a member of Biddleville Presbyterian Church, now Memorial Presbyterian Church, and never moved his membership even when he relocated to New York and Georgia. Upon returning to Charlotte, Howard brought his knowledge, values, and commitment to serve as a Deacon, and also served as Treasurer since 1994.

Community involvement was natural for Howard. He always believed in giving back to the community. He mentored youth for many years through his affiliations with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, 100 Black Men of Charlotte, Sigma Pi Phi, and corporate-school partnerships. Howard was very active in community sports programs having coached both youth baseball and basketball for over fourteen-years.

Anyone who knew Howard, knew one of his great loves was the game of golf. He took advantage of every opportunity as he traveled internationally, as well as playing with his buddies and family at home. He cherished the trips around the world with his beloved Guardsman, and their activities, especially golf. He joined other golfing buddies in his retirement and played golf locally and in tournaments, in the mountains, at the beach, Hilton Head SC, Pinehurst NC and wherever he and Stephanie traveled.

Howard served on many boards and civic review committees including Johnson C. Smith University Board of Trustees for seventeen years, where he held the distinguished honor of Trustee Emeritus, Spirit Square for the Arts Board, Foundation for the Carolinas Board, the Mecklenburg County Computing Advisory Committee, and the United Way Technology Advisory Committee.

Other affiliations included: Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Sigma Pi Phi, North Carolina Chapter of the National Guardsmen, The Champions, the men’s affiliate of WIE who support the mission “to build trust across race and culture.”

In addition to his parents, Howard was predeceased by his brothers, Herman L. Counts Jr., and Lt. Colonel Wilson E. Counts. Howard leaves many memories to cherish with his wife, Stephanie Russell Counts, his son, Jonathan R. Counts, three grandsons, Jaylin, Brennan, Terrence and granddaughter, Janiyah, his Sister, Dorothy Counts-Scoggins, Goddaughter, Mara Lavergneau-Brinton, Harrisburg, NC,  Sister-in-law Doris H. Counts, Fuquay Varina, NC,  Sister-in-law Wanda Russell-Gordon (Michael) Huntersville, NC, Sister-in-law Jacqueline Gentry-Harris (Kevin), Indian Land, SC, Brother-in-law Henry Gentry, Jr. (Julia) Gastonia, NC, Brother in-Law Alexander Gentry, Trenton, N.J. and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Please be advised that MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED.