Howard Conrad Lincoln, age 79, of Erie, Pennsylvania, died Monday, Oct. 23, 2017. He was the founder and former owner of Lincoln Recycling, with yards in Erie and Meadville, Pennsylvania.
Lincoln was born June 28, 1938, in Erie to Nina Soloway Lincoln and Barney Lincoln. He was a graduate of Academy High School, where he participated in sports, including football and swimming. He received a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University, where he was a member of Phi Epsilon Pi fraternity and business manager for FROTH, the humor magazine.
He taught physical education and served as head coach of the swim team at Newark Academy in Livingston, New Jersey, for six years, and was later inducted into their hall of fame for developing an East-coast powerhouse team of swimmers and divers, which boasted seven high school All-Americans on a single team.
Lincoln married Mary Swed and the couple moved to Erie in 1967, where Lincoln helped his father, Barney, build Lincoln Metal Processing, now Lincoln Recycling. He also founded Computer Recycling of America and co-founded Lincoln Foundry, Portable Baling Services and Wild Waves skateboard park, a youth activity park.
Lincoln visited Afghanistan and Pakistan to pursue scrap metal opportunities, meeting with the then-president of Pakistan.
Lincoln’s community involvement included serving as president of the Erie Philharmonic and supporting The Flagship Niagara League, Erie County Library System, Hamot Health Foundation, Americans for the Competitive Enterprise System (ACES), Asbury Woods, Inner-City Neighborhood Art House, Erie Playhouse and Erie Philharmonic. He was a member of civic organizations that included Sertoma, Y-Mens Club, Tyrian-Commonwealth Lodge #362 F.A.&M., Scottish Rite Valley of Erie, Zem Zem Temple Shrine and the Rotary Club of Erie. In 2009 he spearheaded the founding of the Young People's Chorus of Erie in collaboration with Penn State Behrend, which has provided choral education, performance and fellowship to more than 1,000 students to date in Erie and Crawford counties. In retirement, Lincoln served as president of the condominium association of Boca Towers in Boca Raton, Florida.
He was deeply committed to his children and their activities, passing along a talent and deep love of sport. More recently, he enjoyed cheering on his grandchildren in gymnastics, football, swimming and soccer. Of all his accomplishments, he was most proud of his family.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son Stuart Michael Lincoln and a brother-in-law Irwin Rider.
Among those that Lincoln is survived by are his wife, Mary; daughter, Samantha Lincoln; her husband, Scott Gezymalla; and their daughters, Marin and Eva Gezymalla; son Jeremy Lincoln; Jeremy’s wife, Elizabeth Dwyer Lincoln; and their sons, Findley and Taylor Lincoln; and son Andrew Lincoln; his wife, Amanda Schantz Lincoln; and their daughters, Avery and Elise Lincoln, all of Erie.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Young People's Chorus of Erie, c/o Penn State Behrend; Inner-City Neighborhood Art House; or a charity of one's choice.