Howard M. ‘Mickey’ Day, businessman and volunteer fire department chief, dies

Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun
·4 min read

Howard M. “Mickey” Day, vice president and general manager of Farm and Home Service in Sykesville who was chief of the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department, died of cancer Jan. 2 at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Marriottsville resident was 62.

“I’ve known Mickey for many years and he was always there for everybody. He always took care of things,” said Brian Haight, owner of Haight Funeral Home and Chapel in Sykesville. “He was active with the volunteer fire department, the Howard County Fair and the 4-H. He was kind of quiet, but was always paying attention. He was a behind-the-scenes guy but was always there.”

Howard Mitchell Day, who was known as “Mickey,” was the son of Howard Calvin Day, owner of Farm and Home Service, and Eileen Mullinix Day, who worked alongside her husband in the business.

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Born in Frederick, he was raised in West Friendship and Marriottsville, and was a 1979 graduate of Glenelg High School. In 1983, he earned a bachelor’s degree from what is today the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

After graduation, he joined the family business of selling farm and livestock supplies as well as lawn, garden and pet food products.

At his death, Mr. Day was vice president and general manager of the business, which has locations in Sykesville, Ellicott City, Brunswick, Taneytown and Poolesville.

“Mickey was a farmer at heart, helping on the family farm as needed from baling hay to running the stack wagon, fertilizing the fields, or any other job required to run a family farm and help his family,” wrote his wife of 37 years, Susan Marie Sutton Day, an instrumental music teacher at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in the Long Green Valley, and St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Elkridge, in a biographical profile of her husband.

A 4-H member since childhood, Mr. Day rose to become a Howard County 4-H All Star, his wife said. He oversaw many livestock projects during his 4-H career and played a leading role in establishing the Howard County 4-H Beef Club.

Mr. Day was also a member of the 4-H livestock judging team, attending national competitions and later becoming coach of the team.

It was his involvement with 4-H that led him to become more involved in community service in Howard County.

In 1977, he joined the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department, rising through the leadership ranks to the position of chief.

“Mickey was truly a dedicated volunteer firefighter for both the community and station,” said Deputy Chief Mark M. Miller, a friend of 42 years. “He was very interested in training which led him to become a Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute instructor.” The MFRI trains firefighters.

He described Mr. Day as unflappable.

“He was always cool and collected. You could call him anytime and he was always ready to help. You could ask him a question, and if he didn’t know the answer, he’d find out. He was a person who always found answers,” Mr. Miller said.

He added: “He was a man who was super-dedicated to the fire service. He could make decisions — and maybe they were not always popular — but he made them.”

Mr. Day was part of the team that relocated the fire department from its former home on Frederick Road to its current location at the intersections of Routes 32 and 99 in West Friendship.

“Mickey was always there,” Mr. Haight said. “If I needed something — it was done. He was proactive with the family business, his family, fire department and the Howard County Fair.”

Mr. Day became a County Fair board member in 1983, and went on to sit on several committees. He was president for several stints from the 1990s to the early 2000s, and most recently held that office from 2015 until his death.

A hands-on president, Mr. Day could be found during County Fair week making the rounds of the fairgrounds.

“The fire department and the Howard County Fair were a huge part of Mickey’s life. Giving back to the community and community service were his hobbies,” Ms. Day said.

Mr. Day was a lifelong active member of St. James United Methodist Church in Marriottsville.

As is the tradition among firefighters, his casket was transported to services that were held Thursday at the Howard County Fairgrounds, aboard a fire engine.

“He was also accompanied by an honor guard,” Mr. Miller said.

“The theme throughout Mickey’s life has been serving Howard County and it was important to him to work toward making this small part of the earth a great place to live, work, find friendship and purpose,” Ms. Day wrote.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his parents, also of Marriottsville; a sister, Donna Full, of Woodbine; and many nieces and nephews.