Our beloved handsome, goofy husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend, Micheal Robert Howard, passed peacefully from this earthly life from heart complications on Wednesday, June 24, 2020.

Micheal was born in Rexburg, Idaho on January 11, 1953, to Lucine "Pete" and Wanda Howard, the only boy of 5 sisters. Being the only boy, he was fussed (spoiled) over by his sisters right up until his death. He perfected his teasing skills at the expense of his sisters, who were always good sports. He was the 4 th of their 6 beloved children. He grew up in Newdale, Idaho, spending his time as a boy riding horses, motorcycles, getting into trouble, and learning swear words. He forged a deep love for his father, Pete, while working on their family farm where he learned how to work hard, play hard, and develop a love for the land. The things we loved the most about Micheal he learned on the farm during those formative years.

Much to his teacher's relief he graduated from Sugar-Salem High School in 1971. He then attended Idaho State University and graduated with a degree in Auto Mechanics. He met the love of his life Kathy R. Christensen and married her on August 10, 1972. He spent the next 48 years affectionately calling her "Blondie".

With his degree in hand, he headed back to Newdale with Kathy where he put his degree to use. Micheal farmed on Bar Open A Farms in Newdale until 1992. He passed on his knowledge and love of farming to his children, teaching them to work the fields, move pipe, work in potato
harvest, and fix farm equipment. This time was some of his children's fondest memories.

In 1992 he began his career as a truck driver. Peterbilt was his truck of choice. He drove for AB Tibbits, Max Gould Trucking, owner and driver of MR Howard Trucking, and finally John Pocock Trucking. This allowed him to be able to stop at his children home's where he could show off his truck and give rides around the block to his grandchildren. This officially made him the coolest Grandpa. He had endless stories he loved to tell of his adventures on the road. His pup trailer may or may not have gotten stuck between the railroad crossing arms. He accidentally ran over the hood of a small car that had the misfortune of getting in Micheal's blind spot. We loved to hear his stories of his life on the road crossing back and forth over the country he loved.

Micheal's children were his pride and joy and proudest accomplishment. He was so proud of Danial and passed on his love of the outdoors where they spent countless hours on 4-wheelers and snow machines. Micheal has missed Danial every day since Danial's passing in Dec of 2016.

He loved Kim for her adventurous spirit, and she inherited her larger than life heart from her Dad. He gifted Kim his knowledge of year, make, model and the need to put fancy tires on her cars. He always appreciated her love she showed him over the years. It's unsubstantiated, but
she is his favorite child.

Derek and Micheal spent hours sneaking away to the shop in Newdale and the garage to tinker under the hood of all the various vehicles, four wheelers, snow machines, and projects Micheal brought home over the years. Derek inherited his Dad's love for practical jokes and teasing.
Micheal loved how he knew he could always rely on Derek to help.

Micheal loved the fact that Courtney had his dark hair and resembled his beloved mother Wanda. He loved that she doted on him every time he came to visit her in Maryland.

Daris was Micheal's best friend. He called Daris "Vern," one of the many nicknames he gave to his children and grandchildren. Daris inherited among many other things his love for golfing, sparkling automobiles, and Peterbilt trucks. Micheal loved his sense of humor and constant company right up until the end.

Micheal loved his adventures. During the winter he could be found on his snow machine riding the peaks of Fremont County. He liked being the leader of the pack on those winter days because he could adjust the engine and be back on the machine before everyone else caught up. He spent years trying to buck Kathy off the back; she got the hint and got her own machine. He passed the love of snow machining and his bias for Polaris onto his kids. He earned his pilot's license and loved his time flying and taking his children up in the plane. While his kids were young they spent hours on horse back in the mountains, exploring national forests, and moving cattle. He loved four wheelers and spent his later years riding with sons, and bought one for the grandkids so they had one to ride when they came to the farm. A summer was not complete without boat rides. Micheal was famous or infamous for his tube rides. You took your life into your own hands when Micheal pulled you on the tube. Nobody thought it was funnier than Mike.

Of all the things Micheal loved, he loved his 17 grandchildren the most! He spent countless hours tickling, teasing, rough housing, and calling them "Mud". As they grew older, he was in the stands at baseball, football, and lacrosse games. He was in the audience at concerts, plays,
dance recitals and any other thing that was important to his grandkids. He loved Sunday's when he was able to feed them his Dutch oven potatoes and Sunday night popcorn.

He would come back and haunt us all if we forgot to mention his vice, his Achilles heal, his other true love, second only to Kathy, golf! To say Micheal loved golf would be an understatement. The day he hit a "Hole in One" at Teton Lakes Golf course was his proudest day, tied with the birth of his 5 children. If Micheal had a dollar for every hour he spent on the golf course, he would have enough dollars to buy his own. He loved his time at Teton Lakes and Fremont County courses, golfing with Kathy, his kids, and later his grandkids. We know he's up in Heaven scouting out the greens!

Micheal loved a project! In August of 2016 he purchased "Krystal", a 1984 Georgia Boy Motorhome for $500. He said once if he had kept track of the hours he put into "Krystal" he would have gotten paid a penny an hour. His hard work paid off and in the summer of 2017 he
piled Kathy, Derek, 3 of Derek's children, Daris and Daris's 3 children into Krystal for a trip into Yellowstone National Park. Last summer he took his 5 sisters on a road trip to Wade and Cliff Lake. She has taken Mike and Kathy north to Coeur d' Alene Idaho, and the only problem they
had was running out of gas on the 4 th of July Pass. We took Krystal to the hospital, so we had someplace to be together while we waited on news of Micheal. It was just one more way we felt taken care of by him. He also purchased a 1984 project Jeep Wrangler in 2018. He spent so many hours working, adjusting, tinkering, and fixing it up. He was so close to having the Jeep where he wanted it. We know he'll be looking over the shoulder of his sons or grandsons if they decide to take on the Jeep project and finish what Micheal started.

Micheal is survived by his wife Kathy Rae Christensen, his children Kimberly Hill (Jared) of Meridian ID, Derek Howard (Tracie) of Hayden, ID, Courtney Herd (Tyler) of Crofton, MD, and Daris Howard (Sara) of Ririe, ID. He was preceded in death by his parents Lucine Otto and Wanda J. Howard and his son Danial Micheal Howard.

In lieu of flowers, please wash your car and check the pressure in your tires – he would have wanted that. And don't get the boat wet!

It is suggested that you bring chairs or blankets to be seat on during the services.