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Michael C. Howard is not dead

Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

HUDSON — Mark Twain once said, “Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated,” but local attorney Michael C. Howard is living these words. And the emphasis must be placed on “living.”

A rumor that Howard died has been circulating throughout Columbia County — and beyond — for the past few days. He said it may have started on Thursday, when he did not appear in Hudson City Court. Howard, who is a member of the Columbia County Public Defender’s office, was participating at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department annual golf tournament that day. Attorney Jessica Howser was sent to fill in for him at the last minute.

According to Howard, there were conversations about another local resident who passed away at the same time there was discussion about his absence. He said he thinks the two stories were somehow mingled — and mangled.

That’s when the calls from friends and acquaintances expressing sympathy started coming in. The first call to the Howard residence was made Thursday morning and since then at least 80, but “probably more,” have been made to his house and offices. The calls have come from friends in Orlando, Fla. and Rochester.

Howard said that it’s not just his house and offices that have been getting calls to express sympathy, but his brother and parents have received them as well. In fact, his brother went to his house Saturday morning to check on him. Howard said that he heard the reason why the news of his death wasn’t in this newspaper was because his parents hadn’t been notified yet as they were out of the country.

The Howard family was celebrating one of their three son’s 9th birthday with a party Saturday afternoon, so there were a lot of cars in the driveway, which certainly didn’t help matters.

“People thought it was an impromptu wake,” Howard said and stopped by to offer condolences to his family.

It’s one thing to get the phone calls, but “it’s a little freaky when they show up,” he said. When one person stopped by during the party and asked what they can do to help, he was told he could help by “flipping some burgers.”

Howard was out and about town Saturday evening, taking in a movie and stopping in at shops along Warren Street. At one point in the evening, he ran into someone he knew from the bank who gave him a hug and told him she was glad he was OK.

“I guess if you hear a rumor more than once it makes it true,” he said.

Meanwhile, Howard is planning on celebrating his upcoming birthday with a party this weekend and will be defending Cindy Lou Hilscher, 42, of Taghkanic, in Columbia County Court against two counts of third-degree grand larceny and one count of fourth-degree grand larceny. Hilscher is the former First Niagara Bank Greenport branch manager accused of embezzling more than $16,000 from an out-of-state client. The trial begins Sept. 22.

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