On September 11, 2014, Howard Hirsch, 77 years old, made his final curtain call. He passed peacefully at home, surrounded by his family. Born in New York City on February 24, 1937 Howard attended and graduated from Forrest Hills High School and attended Hofstra University where he joined the Marine Corps Reserve in 1955. An original “Mad Man,” Howard worked in NYC at Grey Advertising as a Creative Director and eventually came to work at Wilson Haight and Welch in Hartford CT. After a few years he opened his own advertising agency, Hirsch Advertising. Over the course of his career, Howard received numerous awards for television, radio and print advertising, including Advertising Man of the Year 1995-1996 by the Advertising Club of Connecticut. In 1995 Howard was given a tremendous gift, for which he expressed gratitude until his last day. He received a heart transplant, which encouraged him to pursue his greatest passion: theater. Where others saw only an unused garage, Howard saw his dream. With support from family, friends and the town of West Hartford, he turned that garage into The Park Road Playhouse, of which he was the artistic director for 8 years. After it closed in 2008, he continued to pursue his passion by founding the Farmington Valley Stage Company in Collinsville CT. Howard, pre-deceased by parents Irving and Sally Hirsch and sister Annette Borwnstein, is survived by wife Linda Hirsch, brother-in-law Les Shapiro of CT, sister-in-law Judith Sokolow of TX, children Margie and Bruce Bidwell of CT, Patti and Dave Richardson of WI, Ilene and Christopher Fernald of MA, grandchildren Katie and Mike Kane of CO, Kellie Fernald of MA, Kim and Scott Merrill of MA, Brooke and Lexy Richardson of WI, Annie Bidwell of CT, great-grandchildren Connor and Jack Kane of CO, and Allison Merrill of MA, Nephew Dr. William Brownstein of NY (god son), Jordan Shapiro of MA, and niece Rachel Ollagnon of TX. Special thanks to the nurses on North 12 and the Doctors of Hartford Hospital, Doctor Stuart Genser, and of course, Bill W. Donations can be made to the Transplant Department at Hartford Hospital. To donate, call or email (860) 972-2322 or email mary.parola@hhchealth.org Shiva will be held September 14th -16th from 1-3pm, and 7-9pm at 836 Mountain Rd. West Hartford.