Howard L. Kimball, 97, a longtime resident of Upton, passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, with his beloved wife by his side. He was the devoted husband of Arlene F. (Swanson) Kimball.

Born in Milford, Howard was a son of the late Alva and Florence (Pierce) Kimball. He was raised and educated in Westborough, where he proudly played on the Westborough High School basketball team and graduated from Westborough High School.

Following high school, Howard was drafted into the United States Army, where he honorably served his country and attained the rank of Private First Class.

After his military service, Howard pursued higher education, earning a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Northeastern University. He later attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he worked toward a master’s degree in Chemistry for one year.

Howard dedicated much of his professional career to scientific research. He was employed for 21 years at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology. He later joined Biomeasure, a France-based company that established operations in Hopkinton before relocating to Milford. Howard continued working there until his retirement at the age of 71.

In his leisure time, Howard greatly enjoyed traveling and hiking in the mountains of Maine and New Hampshire with Arlene. He was an accomplished woodworker, an avid reader, and a lover of classical, gospel, and country music. He especially cherished spending time outdoors with Arlene. Howard also had a lifelong fondness for dogs, enjoyed HO-scale model trains, and was a dedicated basketball fan.

Howard was known for his kindness and gentle nature, and he rarely asked for help, always placing the needs of others before his own.

In addition to his wife Arlene, Howard is survived by Sandy White of Milford, a close and dear friend to both Howard and Arlene. He also leaves several cousins.

His funeral service will be held at 10 A.M. on Tuesday, February 24, in the Pickering & Son Upton Funeral Home, 45 Main Street, Upton. Burial, with military honors, will follow in Lakeview cemetery, Upton.

A period of visitation will precede his funeral service from 9:15 to 10 A.M. in the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be sent to the Upton Fire & EMS Association Ambulance Fund, P.O. Box 1010, Upton, MA 01568 or to Baypath Human Society, 500 Legacy Farms North, Hopkinton MA 01748 or via www.baypathhumane.org