Robert "Bob" Vernon Howard
Nov. 15, 1929 - June 21, 2016
Robert "Bob" Vernon Howard, 86 of Albany, passed away on June 21, 2016, with his family by his side.
Bob was born on Nov. 15, 1929, in St. Helens to William John and Madge Marie Howard. He grew up in St. Helens on his family's dairy farm. Here he met his high school sweet heart and love of his life, Carol Maxine McAboy. They were married by the Mormon Bishop on July 21, 1948, in Warren at Carol's mother's home.
Bob served his country in the military early on. He always loved to tell the story of how he joined the Merchant Marine in 1946, when he was just 16 years of age. He and his buddy lived on just "a corn dog a day" while waiting for the ship to come in. He later joined the U.S. Navy and served aboard the U.S.S. Halsey Powell.
After his military service, Bob went to work for Crown Zellerbach in St. Helens. In 1958, he went to work at the Georgia Pacific paper mill in Toledo. He worked there as a machine operator until his retirement in 1984.
After retirement, Bob loved working on his own farm, raising mainly horses and cattle. He kept busy with several other side businesses such as his CAT and backhoe work. Bob and Carol also loved to travel after retirement. They traveled from Alaska all the way down to Mexico. They loved being "snow birds" and spent lots of time traveling to Quartzsite, Arizona, where Bob enjoyed pitching in horseshoe tournaments.
Bob was preceded in death by his father, William John Howard; mother Madge Marie Howard; granddaughter Michelle Lynn Edenfield; and brother John Bud Howard.
Bob is survived by his loving wife, Carol Maxine Howard; sister Velma Lou; son David; daughters Deborah and Melinda; grandsons Tony, Steve, Jimmy, Michael and Bob; granddaughters Melissa and Tara; and great-grandchildren Ashley, Natalie, Sophia, Duncan, Zoey and Kiera.
AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home handled arrangements ( www.aasum-dufour.com ).