May 26, 2011

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Dr. Warren Howe is retiring after 19 years at Western Washington University as the team physician for Viking Athletics and Student Health Center physician.

Howe, 70, will be honored at the WWU Athletic Department's Dub-Dub-Blue celebration on Tuesday, May 31 (5 p.m.), at the Performing Arts Center on the WWU campus.

There are two retirement receptions scheduled to honor Howe. They are on Wednesday, June 8, at the Bellingham Golf and Country Club (retiring professor and former WWU coach Ralph Vernacchia also will be honored at that event), and on Thursday, June 9, in the lobby of the Campus Services building on the WWU campus. Both of those events begin at 4:30 p.m.

Howe got his A.B. at the University of Rochester and later went on to Washington University in St. Louis to graduate with his M.D. in 1965. He completed his internship at the Philadelphia General Hospital in 1965 and his residency at the University of Rochester from 1969-71.

Howe, who was the recipient of the American College of Sports Medicine 2005 Citation Award, was a partner in a clinic at Oak Harbor for 21 years prior to coming to Western. He was the head physician at the Class AAA state high school wrestling championships from 1978 to 1988 and has been the medical director at the Washington State High School Wrestling Championships from 1989 to present.

Howe was named to the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a contributor in 1991 and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003. He was the attending physician at NAIA National Wrestling Championships in 1976 as well as for wrestling and track at the 1990 Seattle Goodwill Games.

Howe, who served in the U.S. Navy, and wife Hedy have two grown daughters, Elizabeth and Sarah.