Obituary of Howard E. Redding

Palm Bay, FL Howard E. Redding, age 98, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 6, 2019. Mr. Redding is survived by his brother Herb Redding (Dodie), of Polk City; daughter Vicki Jameson (Dan) of Melbourne; Granddaughter Brooke Hoffman (Jason) and Grandson Alan Hettinger (Lindsey), as well as five cherished great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Eleanor, and son, Jay. Born to Arthur and Mildred Redding, of Lorain, Ohio, on March 11, 1920, Howard was the older of two sons. Mr. Redding was commissioned into the Army Air Corps in 1942 and served as a fighter pilot during WWII. In August of 1943, he was shot down over the Mediterranean and after surviving for five days in a life raft, reached shore, where he was taken into German custody as a Prisoner of War. Upon liberation from POW camp at the end of the war, he returned home to marry his sweetheart, Eleanor. They were wed about ten days after his return. Mr. Redding was awarded a Purple Heart for his service. Mr. Redding studied electrical engineering at University of Cincinnati. He went on to work for Duke Energy and Pan Am Airlines. He and Eleanor moved to Melbourne Beach in 1956 where they lived by the river for over forty years. A founding member of St. Sebastian Episcopal Church, Howard was active in the Church and community. He enjoyed a number of hobbies including amateur (ham) radio and sailing. His boating adventures included regattas and annual trips with friends sailing to the Bahamas.