Bill Howard, 46

Howard William "Bill" Howard, 46, died Dec. 17, 2005.

A memorial service will be held at Rost Funeral Home in Mountain Home on Thursday, Dec. 29, at 4 p.m. A celebration of his life will be held at Cal's in Mountain Home following the memorial.

"H" as he was know to his friends, was born at March Air Force Base in Riverside, Calif., on Oct. 23, 1959.

Bill spent his childhood as an Air Force brat in Spain, Utah, California, and Alaska ending up in Mountain Home. He graduated from Mountain Home High School in 1977, and from ISU in 1981, and began a career in diesel engineering.

He worked as an oiler, electrician, assistant engineer and chief engineer on ships from 90 to 365 feet. He also maintained the equipment on seafood processing ships based in Seattle, Louisiana and Alaska.

Bill married Linda Bickford in 1987. They later divorced. He has a stepson, Justin Travis Selander.

A rare genetic disease (Amyloidosis) put him on a waiting list for a heart transplant, which occurred on May 23, 2004. He did well until recently when his new heart failed.

He enjoyed playing pool, riding motorcycles and watching movies, football and car racing. He looked forward to driving long distances.

"He loved the sea and sorely missed it while recovering from his heart transplant," his family said, adding, "He was a wonderful brother, son and friend and will be greatly missed."

He is survived by: two married sisters, MJ DeForest (Don) of Kuna, and Jann Langley (Jim) of Eagle and Pittsford, N.Y., and several aunts, uncles, neices and a nephew.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lt. Col. William H. And Mary Jean Howard.