HOWELL

CHRISTOPHER

Pittsburgh - Chris put the brakes on life on Wednesday afternoon, June 17, 2026. He was on I-95 in Florida, doing one of the things he enjoyed most: riding his motorcycle. He died instantly - Chris was never a man for a slow exit.

Chris was a man of fierce conviction and simple pleasures: hosting friends and family, a project that didn't really need doing, a Steelers game, dressing up for Halloween, and, of course, gardening. He was always brutally honest. He believed everyone deserves a helping hand or a second chance. He believed kids' sports should be fun, online betting ruined the NFL and every kid needs to eat dirt, ride bikes and swim in a lake.

He is survived by his magnanimous wife of 29 years, Kristen (Meyers) Howell; their three children, Marley Rose (fiancé Damali Grisham), Miles Francis and Martin James; his parents, James and Sharon Howell; his brother, Breyden Howell; and his beloved dog, Dazey.

He loved his family deeply, in the loud, opinionated, slightly chaotic way that only a man like Chris could. But what Chris lacked in softness, he more than made up for in substance. He poured into his children a wisdom that was hard-earned and freely given: how to work with your hands, how to stand your ground, how to move through the world with sure-fire confidence and a bit of jovial irreverence. The mark he left on Marley, Miles, and Marty isn't a small one. They will always carry him in the way they think, the way they problem-solve, and the way they refuse to settle - and that's not an accident. That's Chris.

He's now riding somewhere with no traffic, no speed limit, and nobody telling him to be careful. And, who knows? Maybe if you're driving at just the right moment, just before sunset... you might catch a glimpse of him flying on his Goldwing.

Ride easy, Dad. Fly high.