Roper Funeral Home and Crematory 206 Holly St Jasper, GA 30143 (706) 253-7500 (706) 253-0040 www.roperfuneralhome.com David W. Howe of Big Canoe, Georgia passed away on May 22, 2023 at the age of 78. Howe was born in Hartford, CT in 1945, the oldest of three sons of the late Robert H. and Louise E. Howe. He received a BA in Economics from St. Lawrence University (Canton, NY, 1967) and an MBA in Marketing and Finance from the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania, 1969). He entered the U.S. Navy in 1969 serving as a Supply Officer on a San Diego-based Destroyer, cruising the western Pacific during the Vietnam conflict. He began his business career with the Trane Company (La Crosse, WI) in 1972. He moved to Atlanta in 1974 to become VP-Finance for Servidyne, Inc., a commercial air conditioning service company. He left in 1979 to pursue his interest in small company finance and venture capital and founded Peachtree Capital, a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC). He was active in the emerging venture capital community in Atlanta, serving as a founding director of the Atlanta Venture Forum. Over the next 12 years, he invested in and consulted with several early-stage companies in software and payment services. He married Peggy Jones Turner in 1984. In 1991, he was a founding employee of Lynk Systems, Inc., an electronic merchant processing company that grew to one of the top ten U.S. merchant credit and debit card processors before being purchased in 2004 by the Royal Bank of Scotland. He retired in 2004 and moved to Big Canoe, GA in 2008. In retirement, he remained active serving on the Pickens County Airport Authority (Chairman), Leadership Big Canoe, the Big Canoe Homeowners Association Board, North Georgia Veterans, the Board of Vets Help Vets, the advisory committee of the Shepherd Center serving veterans suffering from TBI and PTSD, the Board of Directors of Smoke Signals Community Services (Chairman), the Finance Committee (Chairman), and Endowment Committee (Chairman) of the Big Canoe Chapel, where he and Peggy were active members. Mr. Howe enjoyed a lifelong interest in astronomy, sailing, fitness, and aviation. He became a licensed pilot in 1997 and Beechcraft Bonanza owner from 2000 to 2013. He and Peggy enjoyed many hours of pleasant travel together throughout the U.S. He became a certified flight instructor and an enthusiastic volunteer with Angel Flight, transporting primarily children suffering from chronic disease along with their caretakers at no charge to and from distant medical care, and Veteran's Airlift Command, transporting wounded veterans and family members at no charge to and from veteran medical centers. In 2015, he crewed on the Atlantic crossing of a 60-foot sailboat with close friends. He enjoyed history and biography and was in a lifelong pursuit of a decent game of golf. In retirement, he and Peggy enjoyed traveling to many interesting places in the U.S. and world. Mr. Howe was the proud father of and is survived by a talented blended family, including stepdaughter actress, Stacey E. Fishburne with her husband, Chad of Los Angeles; son and Federal Express pilot, Robert G. Howe and his wife, Victoria, of Atlanta; daughter and nurse-practitioner, Regan H. Howe of Atlanta; step-granddaughter, Amanda King; and two younger brothers, Douglas E. Howe and his wife, Carla, of Reno, NV and Stephen B. Howe and his wife, Jane, of Marion, MA, both retired. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert H. and Louise E. Howe, and his stepson, Andrew Turner. His best years were with the love of his life, Peggy. A Memorial Service will be held 3:00 p.m., Saturday, June 3, 2023 at the Big Canoe Chapel. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Shepherd Center SHARE program; 2020 Peachtree Road NW; Atlanta, GA 30309 and Folds of Honor; PO Box 8245; Prairie Village, KS 66208. Arrangements are entrusted to the Staff of Roper Funeral Home and Crematory.