Bob Howard, 63

Robert "Bob" E. Howard, 63, of Mountain Home, died Friday, Oct. 22, 2004, at a Boise hospital.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30, at Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home. Inurnment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.

Bob was born in Carbondale, Kan., on Jan. 23, 1941, the son of Martha and Everett Howard. He attended school in Eskridge, Kan., where he graduated from high school in May 1959 in a class of 17 students.

After graduation Bob enlisted in the United States Navy on July 1, 1959. After 26 years of service, which took him all over the world, he retired as a Chief Parachute Rigger from VAQ-139 at NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.

After retiring Bob took on a new challenge of going to college and becoming a registered nurse.

Bob started his nursing career in 1986 as a LPN at the Anacartes Convalescent Home until the following year when he graduated from Skagit Valley College with an Associates Degree in nursing and his RN license. He then started working at United General Hospital in Sedro Wholley on the oncology ward treating cancer patients. Bob then moved his nursing skills and caring ways to the mother and infant unit at NAS Whidbey Island Hospital until he was medically retired in December 1996.

Bob married Mary Dufour in May 1962 and the couple had beautiful girls, Vicky and Sherry. Their marriage disolved in 1991.

Bob then began dating Maria and they married Aug. 28, 1993. Bob and Maria sold their homes in 1998, and bought their first motor home and became "snowbirds" in Yuma, Ariz., returning back to Whidbey Island in the summer to spend time with family and friends.

In 2001 they came to Mountain Home trying to decide where to settle as Bob's health deteriorated to the point they could no longer travel and be snowbirds safely. Bob and Maria liked this area and he felt better here. They decided to build a home in Mountain Home in the spring of 2002.

"Bob was a natural for collecting friends and he has many around the world," his family said. "It would be impossible to say 'bye' to all, so we his family must do it for him with this thought 'You may be gone but not forgotten true veterans never die'."

Bob was a member of the Disabled American Veterans, VFW, Fleet Reserve Association and the American Legion.

Bob is survived by: his wife, Maria S. Howard; daughters Victoria Johnson of Fallon, Nev., Sherry Yates of Oak Harbor, Wash.; stepdaughters Jackie Stapp of Seattle, Wash., Jessica Pearce of Idaho Falls; brothers James, Larry, Richard, Kenneth and Donald; sisters Betty and Patty Sue, and five grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and infant son, Christopher Earl Howard.

Cards may be sent to Maria Howard, P.O. Box 254, Mountain Home, ID 83647.