BOONE, Iowa—Robert D. Howe, 92, of Boone, passed away Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at Green Hills Health Care Center in Ames.
Robert was born in a small farmhouse near Pilot Mound, IA, on October 17, 1931, the son of Robert E. and Clara (Parks) Howe. He attended school in Pilot Mound and graduated from Pilot Mound High School, where he was known as Hoppy.
Robert, known as Skee in the service, started his military career while he was just a junior in high school. This led to a 42-year career with the Iowa Army National Guard and Army Reserves. Robert was an aircraft mechanic and crew chief, working mostly on helicopters. After retirement from the military, he was employed with a private company, as a mechanic, that took care of numerous hospital helicopters in the Midwest. Robert’s last mechanic job was on helicopters in Louisiana, that flew to the oil rigs.
Robert was united in marriage to Bonnie Hopkins on June 6, 1954, to this union three sons were born. Bonnie passed away in 2014. In 2019, Robert married Karen Donovan.
Robert was a scout master and little league baseball coach in his earlier years. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening, traveling and clearing all the snow off for his neighbors.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Bonnie; a brother in infancy; and sister, Joyce Rinehart.
Robert is survived by his wife, Karen Howe; three sons and their families, Dale Howe and his children, Patton (Teri) Howe and Cecelia Howe; Denny Howe and his children, Karessa (Zac) Schaffer and Nicholas (Colleen) Howe; and Don Howe and his children, Donald Howe, Jr., Steven (Connor) Howe, Sophie (Chay) Nelson and Gunder (Nicole) Howe; 14 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Roger (Florence) Howe; sister, Marjorie Brown; three step-sons, Joe (Deanna) Nobis and their son, Joey Nobis; Matt Donovan and Dan (Simone) Donovan.
Funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM, on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel, 1006 6th Street, Boone. Visitation is 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Pilot Mound Cemetery with Military Honors by Iowa Army National Guard.
The family asks that memorials be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675, www.support.woundedwarriorproject.org
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall Streets in Boone. Online condolences may be left to Robert’s family at www.schroedermemorialchapel.com.
