Helen (Scheuring) Wilwerding. Howard passed away May 18, 2020 in Boca Raton, Florida.
Howard was raised on the family farm and attended St. Joseph’s School, graduating in 1955.
After graduation Howie attended Omaha Technical School and was employed at Motor City and
Rosen-Novak in Omaha. On April 30, 1960 he was united in marriage to Nancy Jean Henning
of Harlan, Iowa. Together they operated the Dairy Mart in Manilla, Iowa. In 1961 they returned
to Omaha where Howie went to work at Redshaw Paint Company while attending Radio
Engineering Institute. In 1967 he became a body and fender instructor for Iowa Western
Community College. Along with his natural abilities, knowledge of cars and completing a Dale
Carnegie course he was hired by Fisher Body to become a General Motors Training Center
instructor in Omaha/Kansas City. In 1971 Howie was transferred to the Atlanta/Jacksonville
Training Center and resided in Jacksonville, Florida until 1976. While in Jacksonville he kept
very busy between traveling for work and managing the community pool. In 1976 he was
promoted to Zone Service Manager in the Washington, DC area and relocated to Burke,
Virginia. His new position offered some exciting opportunities including traveling to Italy
regarding the Cadillac Allante and participating in President Regan’s Inaugural MotorCade. He
enjoyed coaching soccer, basketball, camping with the Boy Scouts and creating winning
Pinewood Derby cars for scouts. Family favorites were camping, canoeing, hiking, cross
country trips and sightseeing. In 1987 he was promoted to Senior Field Service Engineer - Body
with the Cadillac Motor Car Division covering the southeast region of the country and relocated
to Boca Raton, Fl.
After retirement he returned to the automotive industry part time working for EAA. He became
an avid golfer, enjoyed volunteering at the golf course and at Pro-Am Golf Tournaments. He
attended St. John’s Catholic Church in Boca Raton and was a lifetime member of the Knights of
Columbus.
He was lovingly known as “Papa” to his grandchildren and they will always remember their trips
to the golf course, airboat rides and looking for alligators in the Everglades. Along with his witty
sense of humor and vivid imagination he entertained his family with many stories about
alligators, cats and lizards. Howard had an amazing ability to repair, fix and build just about
anything. He always loved returning to Iowa to visit family, friends and sharing his life on the
farm with his kids and grandkids.
Howard was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Eddie and Bernie, sisters-in-law, Grace
Wilwerding, Alma (Fudd) Wilwerding, Alma Wilwerding and brother-in-law Larry Larrison. Those
left to cherish his memory are his wife of 60 years, Nancy, his children Debbie (Donny) Lake of
Greensboro, NC, Jeanne Hodgden of Orange Park, Fl and Daniel Wilwerding of Boca Raton, Fl;
sister Jan (Sis) Larrison of Defiance, Iowa; sisters-in-law Mary Wilwerding, Jan Mendel, Alice
(John) Evans; grandchildren Jessica and Joey Hodgden, Drew, Troy, Alissa, and Jenna Lake;
great-grandson Bryson Hodgden; many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at 10:30 am at Russell Haven of Rest Cemetery, 2335 Sandridge Road, Green Cove Springs, Florida 32043.
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