Sue Howle

Susan Anita Howle of Daniel Island, SC passed away on May 17, 2026, at the age of 59. Sue was born on June 17, 1966, in Circleville, OH and grew up in Geneva, Switzerland and Florence, SC. She attended West Florence High School and graduated from St. Andrews in Savannah, GA. She played basketball at Furman University and graduated from MTSU with a degree in Geography.

After inquiring about park ranger jobs, Sue realized that the way to achieve her dream role in the National Park Service was to first join the Army and eventually become a veteran. After enlisting, Sue was assigned to become an Electronic Warfare Signals Intelligence Analyst at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California (Arabic/Egyptian dialect). She then attended the Military Intelligence schools in Texas and Massachusetts and was stationed at Fort Campbell before serving in Kuwait in 1991 with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Sue flew in a Blackhawk helicopter every day while receiving top-secret information for the Technical Control Analysis Element. She took an offer for an early out after a little more than three and a half years as an E-4 specialist.

Upon returning, Sue became a park ranger at Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia. She then graduated with a Master’s in geography from the University of Massachusetts as a Fulbright Scholar. Sue returned to Kuwait to complete her thesis: “The Long-Term Environmental Consequences of Gulf War Service Disruption in Northeastern Kuwait.”

Sue then accepted a job with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as an Environmental Coordinator in Ely, Nevada, where she started the Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition for fire restoration. She later moved back to New England to pursue a forest service job with NEPA in the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont, where she also learned to cross-country ski. Sue continued her career with TEAMS as a remote Environmental Coordinator, including details in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Ketchikan, Alaska.

After a brief stay in South Carolina to be closer to family, Sue moved to Ketchikan for a Forest Planner position in the Tongass National Forest. After a few years, with her two Weimaraners and cat in tow, Sue moved to Washington, D.C. to work on Forest Service policy. Afterward, she returned to Alaska to continue her work in the Tongass and Chugach National Forests.

During her time in Alaska, Sue accomplished an incredible amount. She led a Forest Plan Amendment for the Tongass National Forest, helped develop the Ketchikan Youth Advisory Council, became a District Ranger in the Ketchikan Misty Fjords Ranger District, fixed the official spelling of Misty “Fjords” through the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, secured the first tribe to sign on as a cooperating agency for the Tongass (the Ketchikan Indian Community), and received the 2018 Regional Forester NEPA award for her team. After completing a detail in Idaho as a Deputy Forest Supervisor, Sue eventually moved to Donnelly, Idaho for the permanent position. She later returned to Alaska as the Director of Planning, Budget, and Information Management in Juneau.

Sue worked for 20 plus years for the US Forest Service across Vermont, Nevada, Idaho, and Alaska in many roles, including Forest Planner, Deputy Forest Supervisor, and Regional Director. Sue spent her final years in Carson City, Nevada and Charleston, South Carolina with her family members. She was actively involved in paddling, hiking, running, photography, road trips, making new friends, and loving the experience of life outdoors, even while facing ALS.

Sue was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Wayne and Dorcas Jane Gibson Howle, and many beloved dogs.

Sue is survived by her siblings, Wayne Howle (& Stephanie Parker), Robert Howle, and Sylvia Howle (& Mark Carver); her nieces, Kelly Howle (& Hollie Trimble), Rebekah Pieper (& Tim Pieper), and Mary Anna Nale (& Emir Tekin); and her great-nieces, Adelaide and Eleanor Pieper.

“Time is relative; its only worth depends on what we do as it is passing.”— Albert Einstein

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Lisa Holabird, Kim Kinville, Sue’s caregivers, all cherished friends who have been a part of Sue’s life journey, everyone at Daniel Pointe, the VA ALS Clinic team, the VA Home Health team, all the doctors and nurses at the VA in Charleston, Reno, and Seattle, and the ALS Association for the care and compassion shown during this time.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, May 22nd at Daniel Pointe, located at 514 Robert Daniel Dr, Charleston, SC 29492 at 3:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in their memory to:

Team Sue: Walk to Defeat ALS: ALS Association

National Forest Foundation: Alaska Cabins Project

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral and Cremation, 1520 Rifle Range Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.