Howard Hart was born August 1st, 1933, in Fall River, Mass., to Earnest and Minnie [Cross] Hart. He attended elementary and highschool in Fall River. He later graduated from Barrington College RI, receiving a BA in philosophy. In 1961 he received a BD and M Div. degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, and at North American Baptist Seminary in 1968 and 1969. He had specialized training in Christian Education. He also later received a Doctor of Divinity Degree.
Howard was ordained to the Christian ministry in the Orthodox Presbyterian church on March 28th, 1962, in Bellmawr NJ. He served Orthodox Presbyterian churches in Bellmawr, NJ and Bridgewater, SD from 1961-1969. In 1969 he joined the RCUS and served RCUS churches in Eureka, SD and Sutton, NE from 1969-1982. The RCUS sent him as a missionary at Large in Cincinnati, OH from 1982-1985. While in Cincinnati he served Faith Presbyterian Church from 1985-1986 as interim pastor. Rev. Hart served RCUS churches in Garner, IA and Lincoln, NE from 1986-1998. He retired from active ministry in 1998 and moved to Mitchell, SD.
From 1999-2005 he was a writer for the RCUS and helped produce 1000 Sunday School Lessons. During this time he was also the Administrator of the Reformed Resource Center. He served various area churches by filling the pulpit for Sunday worship. Dr. Hart’s real passion was teaching the Bible. He fulfilled this by teaching at Mitchell Christian High School from 2004-2010. He loved his students and they loved him. He was employed by the Prehistoric Indian Village in the summers as a tour host from 2001-2007.
Howard served in the National Guard from 1949-1958 and served in Korea. He was united in marriage to Barbara Monson on June 14th, 1958. To this union was born Deborah [Terry] VanZee of New Holland, SD. The Hart’s have 2 grandchildren, Benjamin and Daniel VanZee.
Rev. Hart found a great deal of joy in meditating on the Persons of the Holy Trinity and teaching the Gospel of the love of Jesus in the classroom. His lectures in Church History, Philosophy and Apologetics were all based on Jesus, the Christ. His love for the folks in his congregations and the RCUS were only surpassed by the love for his wife, Barbara, his daughter, Deborah and his faithful savior Jesus Christ.
