Beth Howard Obituary

Beth Howard, a prolific and widely acclaimed film and television producer, passed away on Tuesday, August 8th in Stockton, NJ from breast cancer.

Howard, a 52 year-old multiple-Emmy Award winner, was most recently Creative Director and Producer for several gala openings of the World Science Festival in New York City, notably, Dear Albert (Einstein) in 2014; and Awakening of the Mind: A Celebration of the Life and Work of Oliver Sacks in 2016. She also co-produced The Festival's 10th Anniversary Gala in 2017: Time, Creativity and The Cosmos featuring violin virtuoso, Joshua Bell; opera soprano, Renée Fleming; and world-renowned physicist Brian Greene.

For more than two decades, Beth Howard covered five continents producing major motion pictures, IMAX films, Olympic telecasts, and Emmy Award-winning television programs. The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Walt Disney Company, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures, CBS Sports, the National Hockey League, NBA, US Tennis Association, the IOC, and USA Network were just some of her many partners and clients. Ms. Howard's talents were in great demand far and wide, and her reputation for professionalism and tenacity was known broadly in the industry.

Born in New York City, Beth grew up in Short Hills, New Jersey. A graduate of the University of Maryland, she began her career in Colorado Springs with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) in 1990 as Manager of the Broadcasting Division. She would eventually work on the coverage of eight Olympic Games for the USOC, NBC, and The Kennedy/ Marshall Company.

Utilizing her vast global experience, Producer and Director Frank Marshall and The Kennedy/Marshall Company relied on Beth for the grueling line-producing necessary on feature films including Young Black Stallion (Walt Disney Pictures), filmed in Namibia and South Africa; Olympic Glory, the first IMAX production allowed to film an Olympics in Nagano, Japan (1998); and The Armstrong Lie, a feature documentary directed by Alex Gibney that followed Lance Armstrong before, during, and after his last Tour de France. The Armstrong Lie was short-listed for a 2013 Academy Award.

In 2013, Brigham Young University named her Creative Executive for its network's first television drama series, Granite Flats. Filmed in Utah, the fully-scripted series ran for three seasons on BYUtv and Netflix, and featured esteemed stars including Christopher Lloyd, Cary Elwes, and Parker Posey. Beth was also Supervising Producer for six years of New Year's Eve at Times Square presentations.

Beth married Bruce Beffa, also an award-winning producer and filmmaker, in New York in 2009. They both continued traveling the globe for work - and for adventure - from their urban residence in Jersey City, NJ and then their country oasis in Stockton, NJ.

Beth Howard cast a long shadow of influence, compassion, and warmth over those who had the privilege of working beside her. Beth is survived by her husband, Bruce; her mother and father, Doris and Don Howard; and a brother, Gregg.

Donations can be made to youcanthrive.org, which provides a holistic support model for those diagnosed with breast cancer.