Charles Benton Howard, 85, of Des Moines, passed away on Tuesday, November 29, 2005, at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, in Missoula, Montana, of natural causes. His wife, Junise N. Howard, originally from Missoula, and his daughter, Linda, were with him at the time of death.
Chuck was born on December 31, 1919, in Nampa, Idaho to Charles E. and Marion B. Howard. He went to public school in Nampa and moved to Des Moines in 1933 with his parents, two sisters, Edith and Margaret, and his grandparents, who lived next door. He graduated from Highline High School in 1938. He held many jobs to help out during the Depression, including chopping wood, fishing in the Sound, repairing bicycles, picking blackberries and operating an egg delivery business until he was drafted into the Army during World War II in 1942.
He trained at Fort Lewis, Camp Roberts and Camp Cooke as an artillery specialist and medic. From there he was sent to duty in Africa, Sicily and England. At Banbury, England, he trained for the D-Day invasion of Utah Beach on June 6, 1944. He received the Good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal and the Bronze Arrowhead Medal, as well as the commemorative Medal of the Jubilee of Liberty in 2004. Following his separation from the Army, he studied at The University of Puget Sound and graduated with a B.A. in Business in 1950. He was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity, and his favorite hobby was ping-pong.
On June 16, 1951, Chuck married Junise May Nelson, R.N., in Tacoma. They lived in Des Moines until his move to Missoula in August, 2005. He owned and operated the Sweet Boy Candy Company from 1950 until retirement in 1988. He enjoyed activities with his family, which included bowling, playing catch, ping-pong, skipping rocks, attending movies, going on ski trips and vacationing annually in the Swan Valley. His favorite vacations were those camping on the beach of Lindberg Lake.
In 1983 he visited his daughter in Albuquerque, N.M., where she was stationed at Kirtland AFB. Later, in June 1984, he participated in the D-Day Plus 40 Tour in France and England, again visiting his daughter, a captain in the Air Force, stationed at Lakenheath AFB in England. These trips were two high points of his life.
A loving husband, father and grandfather, he took great pleasure in the company of his family and friends. Throughout his life he loved playing practical jokes on the unsuspecting, and he was always ready to regale visitors with the latest of his jokes.
Survivors include his wife, Junise, Missoula; two children and their families, Linda (Mark) Hawkins, Missoula, and Charles (Lynne) Howard, Everett; two sisters, Margaret (Glenn) Farrell, Klamath Falls, Ore., and Edith Davis, Auburn; many cousins; and four grandchildren, Thomas and Paul Hawkins, Missoula, and Ben and Sophie Howard, Everett.
Cremation occurred on November 30, 2005. Memorial services will be held in Seattle and the Swan Valley in the summer of 2006 at dates yet to be determined.
In lieu of flowers the family asks you to donate to the Scholarship Fund at Sussex School, 1800 S. 2nd W., Missoula, MT 59801, phone 406-549-8327.
