James R. Howeth, 78

James R. Howeth, 78, of Helena, passed away on Feb. 1, 2011. 

He was born in Fort Spunky, Texas, on July 10, 1932, to William and Ouida (Hackworth) Howeth. Jim graduated from high school in Fort Worth, Texas. He received a scholarship to play basketball at Texas Christian University, but served in the Army with the 101st Airborne Division in the Korean War. 

Upon completing his service, he met Marilyn Ponath in Seattle, where they were married. After returning to Texas for a brief period of time, they moved to Missoula, where Jim graduated from the University of Montana in 1957 with Bachelor of Arts degree in business. Jim and Marilyn had four sons and later divorced in 1975.

Following graduation, Jim had an extensive and remarkable career in the investment business. Starting in 1957, Jim worked as a security analyst with the trust department of Norwest Bank. In 1959, Jim became a stock broker for D.A. Davidson and was instrumental in building its municipal bond business. He also served as a branch manager and later became a principal, director and vice president of the firm. In 1971, former Gov. Forrest Anderson tapped Jim to become the first investment officer and administrator of the Montana Board of Investments.

Retiring from the state in 1988, he achieved a career dream of establishing his own investment management firm, Anna Corporation, naming the company after his only daughter, Anna. Jim also served on the Carroll College Investment Committee for many years. Jim retired from AnnaCo Investment Management in the fall of 2008 due to poor health.

He married Roberta Inez Daggett in 1975 in San Francisco, and they lived in Helena where they had two children, Anna and Jim. They dreamed together of a retirement home up at Ashley Lake, near Kalispell. The home was finished after Inez passed away from cancer in 2000. Jim was really proud of this place and loved being up at Ashley Lake enjoying the “million dollar” view.

Jim was a member of the Montana Club and the Green Meadow Country Club. Through his work at AnnaCo, Jim also enjoyed sponsoring a Governor's Cup Golf Tournament team. He loved to watch football and was a proud Dallas Cowboys and TCU Horned Frog fan (he must have been the only person in Montana with a TCU license plate cover)! 

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Doyle; and his former wives, Marilyn and Inez.

Jim will be greatly missed by his family, children, Dave and Debbie of  Missoula, Philip and Joann of Helena, Bill and Debra of Thornton, Colo., John and Rhonda of Loveland, Colo., Anna and Eric Kron of Las Vegas, and Jim of Seattle; a sister, Patti Holt, of Fort Worth; a brother-in-law, Larry, and Linda Daggett, of Great Falls; and a niece, Rocky McCormick, of Fort Worth.  Jim had eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren that knew him as “big” grandpa.

Our special and sincere thanks goes to the outstanding nurses and aides at the Waterford for their care and love for Jim. 

The family will receive friends from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb 6, at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home in Helena. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 7, at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home Chapel. Interment with military honors will follow at Forestvale Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.aswfuneralhome.com.