Lt. Col. Timothy Harry Howard

                Lt. Col. Timothy Harry Howard, USAF, Retired, of Poquoson, passed away on June 29, 2024, in Richmond, VA. He was 81.

                Tim was born in Cleveland, OH on January 29, 1943, to the late Harry and Dorothy Howard. He is survived by his three sons and their wives: Scott (Kathy) Howard, Andrew (Elizabeth) Howard, and Tyler (Alice Ann) Howard.

                Tim is also survived by his seven grandchildren: Derek, Devin, Rachel, Joe, Briana, Cara, and Henry. His lovely sister, Cindy Kary, still lives in Mentor, OH.

                Tim attended South High School in Willoughby, OH where he met his eventual bride, the late Saundra Lee Howe Howard. They reconnected at Miami University in Oxford, OH. Tim and Sandy were married on August 7, 1965. They were loving and loyal husband and wife for over 58 years. Tim completed his graduate education at the University of Southern California.

                The majority of Tim’s career was with the United States Air Force, in which he spent 23 years. Extremely proud of his service, he was stationed in Alaska, Montana, Spain, Las Vegas, and Virginia, among other places. He was proud to have been a Vietnam veteran. Tim was equally proud of his second career in weapons development for a global corporation.

                Tim was always outgoing. He was also known as the life of the party, and he loved to make people laugh. He was often heard saying both, “I never met a stranger,” and “You always gotta keep ‘em laughing.” He could inject humor into any situation.

                Forever the optimist, Tim viewed the world positively and encouraged others to do the same. If someone said they were doing fine, he’d reply, “Why not great?” He’d then list reasons the person’s life was indeed great, hoping to elevate their mood.

                He was constantly active with much to do, including building his dream cabin in the mountains, acting in several plays with the Poquoson Island Players, and faithfully serving his community as a member of the local Kiwanis Club. Whatever gaps were left he filled with tinkering around the house and trying to stay ahead of the landscaping.

                Tim was extremely proud of his sons, their wives, and his grandchildren, and would brag about them to anyone who would listen. He was a loving and devoted husband, and spent the last few years of his life caring exclusively for Sandy, who passed away just two days before he did.

                A memorial service for both will be held Saturday, August 3 at 2:00 PM at Trinity United Methodist Church in Poquoson, with a reception to follow. Tim will be interred with military honors on a different day at Hampton Memorial Gardens along with the love of his life, Sandy, in a private ceremony.

                The family would like to thank the team at Claytor Rollins Funeral Home in Poquoson for their kind support; the Poquoson Volunteer Rescue Squad; the entire Amedisys Hospice organization; the caregivers at Our Lady of Hope Health Center, Henrico Doctor’s hospital, and Chippenham Hospital, all in Richmond.

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