Howard Streich
Howard A. Streich of Wickenburg, Ariz.,
and Whitefish went home to be with his Savior Feb. 20, 2011 at
Clare Bridge Care Facility in Sun City West, where he had resided
for nearly five years.
Howard was one of five children born to
Robert E. and Ida F. Streich Dec. 22, 1925 in Detroit Lakes,
Minn.
He grew up loving the outdoors, fishing
and hunting. He was a great dancer and joke teller, a real
“mountain man,” hence his move early to Montana.
Howard graduated from high school in
Alexandria, Minn., in 1943, and went on to be a crash firefighter
at Williams Field in Arizona during World War II. After he returned
to Minnesota, he married the love of his life Marion Gronberg on
Sept. 3, 1948.
He was a man of God hence integrity and
honor were very important to him. He served as president of Christ
Lutheran Church, president of the Montana Tree Growers Association.
He was a member of the Moose and Ducks Unlimited.
Howard was preceded in death by his
parents, brother Orin Streich of Kalispell, and Robert Streich of
Phoenix, Ariz.; and nephew Elden Streich. He is survived by his
wife Marion; daughter Lynda Osborne and husband Jerry of Whitefish;
daughter Karla Millar Nixone and husband Ken of Lethbridge,
Alberta, Canada, and son Eric Streich and wife Marcia of George,
Wash. The pride of Howard’s life were his children and
grandchildren Anne, Ryan, Steven, Paul, Julie, Jared, Jacob, Molly,
Kelli, and Vickie; and great-grandchildren Jinise, Josiah, Nicole,
Chad and Jerod. Howard is also survived by sister Audrey Johnson of
Perham, Minn.; brother Elwood Streich of Shawnee Mission, Kan.;
sisters-in-law Jeanine Streich of Phoenix and Naomi Streich of
Kalispell.
Howard was multi-talented. He worked as
a butcher, railroader, Christmas tree farmer and real estate
investor.
Marion and Howard spend 15 years in the
winter on the big island of Hawaii, then wintered in California
until he found Wickenburg, Ariz. in 1999.
Howard suffered from a genetic syndrome
called FXTAS and was in one of the first studies done at University
of California, Davis, on this discovery due to gene and DNA
recognition.
A get-together and picnic to honor
Howard’s memory will be held informally June 25 at 1 p.m. at Christ
Lutheran Church in Whitefish because the road to Star Meadows
(previous plan) is not in driving condition.