Thomas Kenneth Howard

Captain Thomas K. Howard enlisted in the Naval Reserve during June 1962 at Cape Girardeau, Missouri and soon became affiliated with VR-793, Naval Air Station, Memphis, Tennessee.

Shortly following graduation from Southeast Missouri State University in 1963, he was activated and reported to NARTU Norfolk as an enlisted TAR. Captain Howard entered AOCS in June, 1964; was commissioned in October, 1964; earned his Naval Aviator Wings in February 1966; and reported aboard VP-48, Naval Air Station North Island to fly the P-5M Marlin. Shortly thereafter, VP-48 transitioned to the P-3A and Captain Howard was designated a PPC, served as NATOPS, Pilot Training, and Assistant Administrative Officer, with extended deployments to Iwakuni, Japan and Adak, Alaska.

Following release from active duty in 1969, Captain Howard immediately returned to the Naval Air community at NAS Memphis (VR-52), qualified in the C-54 and acted as the Pilot Training/NATOPS Officer during the squadron’s transition to the C118. In October 1975, he was assigned TAD to VR-1, NAS Norfolk for transitioning to the newly arrived C-9B community and later became a plank owner in VR-56 when the squadron was commissioned as a C-9B squadron in July of 1976.

Captain Howard returned to VR-53 NAS Memphis in 1978, and served as NATOPS Officer, Safety, Administrative, Operations Department Head, Officer-in-Charge, selected as the first Commanding Officer of VR-60, a newly commissioned C-9 squadron. He is a graduate of the Navy’s Aviation Safety Officer School in Monterey, CA and has served on two Commander Promotion Boards and one Command Screen Board at Navy Annex in Washington D.C., in addition to Commanding Officer of a Mobile Maintenance Facility and a VTU.

After 28 years of Naval Service, both Active and Reserve, Captain Howard retired in 1990…. As a civilian, he was employed by Ozark Airlines, TWA and most recently American Airlines until required age 60 retirement in July 2001. He is type rated in the L-188, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7, DC-9, MD-80, FH-227 in addition to Naval Aircraft.

T. K. Howard currently resided in Tucson, AZ with his wife, Debra, along with two dogs, Rocky and Golda. The Howards are proud parents of four grown and gainfully employed children and three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Hobbies included working with the AMARG Team at Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, traveling, and honey-do’s around the house.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 26, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston, MO. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, February 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Sikeston, MO. with Father Colby Elbert, officiating.

Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sikeston, MO with military honors.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.nunneleefuneralchapel.com for the Howard family.