Colleen Howe

Colleen Janet Joffa Howe (February 17, 1933 – March 6, 2009) was a sports agent and political candidate. Howe founded Power Play International and Power Play Publications to manage the business interests of her husband, Hall of Fame ice hockey player Gordie Howe, as well as those of their sons Marty and Mark. She was married to Gordie for 55 years, until her death. As a civic leader, she brought the first Junior A hockey team to the United States, built the first indoor rink for public use in Michigan, and ran for Congress.

Professional career Howe was one of the founders of the Detroit Junior Red Wings, the first Junior A hockey team in the United States. She was instrumental in the construction of Michigan's first indoor ice hockey rink, named the Gordie Howe Hockeyland arena, located in the Detroit suburb of St. Clair Shores. She was named Sportswoman of the Year in Detroit in 1972, followed by Michigan Sportswoman of the Year in 1973. Howe established the 65-city 65th birthday Gordie Howe tribute tour and the Howe Foundation which supported charities. Howe was also the proud recipient of the Hartford Chamber of Commerce award for outstanding community achievement in 1979.

Her son, Mark Howe was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame 2003. The Howe family—Gordie, Colleen, Mark, and Marty—received the Wayne Gretzky Award in 2000.

Colleen Howe has stated in an open letter: "Both Gordie and I stem from humble, rural origins. We have been fortunate to see the positive effects hockey has had on our lives, our family’s lives and the lives of millions of others".

Howe's most remarkable negotiation as sports agent occurred in 1973, when she brought Gordie out of retirement and arranged for Mark, Marty, and Gordie to all play together on the Houston Aeros. The three later played together for the Hartford Whalers.

Howe was a candidate in the special Republican primary held in Connecticut's first congressional district in 1981 following the death of William R. Cotter. She lost to former Hartford mayor Ann Uccello.

Colleen Howe is credited with starting the tradition of gifting the wives of professional hockey players a special present after their husbands achieve significant milestones. This tradition began when Colleen gifted a diamond bracelet to the wife of Wayne Gretzky after he surpassed Gordie Howe’s longstanding record for 801 career goals. Gretzky’s wife, Janet, continued the tradition by gifting a present to Alexander Ovechkin’s wife Anastasia Shubskaya after Ovechkin surpassed Gretzky’s record for most career goals in the NHL at 895.

Family life Colleen Howe was born as Colleen Joffa, an only child, in Sandusky, Michigan. Following her parents' divorce, her mother, along with an aunt and uncle, were responsible for her upbringing. Eventually her mother remarried. During the 1951–52 NHL season (some sources say in 1950), Colleen met her future husband, Gordie Howe, at a Detroit bowling alley, Lucky Strike Lanes, when Gordie was playing for the Detroit Red Wings. When a picture of Howe and Gordie lit up the scoreboard, fans responded with a standing ovation at the Friday, March 6, 2009 Vancouver Giants' game against the Calgary Hitmen at the Pacific Coliseum.

Honours In 2010, she was inducted into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame as a member of “The Howe Family” (including Gordie, Mark, Marty, and Colleen Howe). In 2023, she was named inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

She was portrayed by Kathleen Robertson in the 2013 television film Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story.