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.