Troy William Howard

If you knew Troy, you probably have a story.

As a little kid, he once pedaled his bike so relentlessly that he literally rode the pedal right off, leaving it stranded in the middle of the trail. With no concern for its loss, he just kept going, out in the lead, betting the rest of us would have to figure out how to catch up. From the very beginning, he lived with an intensity that couldn't be contained.

Another time, on a family road trip, he sang The Song That Doesn't End from one side of North Dakota to the other—more than 300 miles, for hours on end—with absolutely no intention of stopping.

Or maybe it's the memory of watching him step onto a skateboard and do something that made everyone stop what they were doing. Troy had that kind of talent. The kind that made difficult things look effortless. The kind that left people in awe...and every now and then, just a little frustrated.

With Troy, there was always a story.

Troy was magnetic. His blond hair and blue eyes made it easy for a teacher to identify him as the culprit in a group of noisy students. And okay, yes—often he was the instigator. His laugh and his comedic timing drew you in. But here's the thing about Troy: when it came time to answer for it, he'd step up, take the blame, and accept the punishment if it meant nobody else got into trouble. That's just who he was.

We could never describe Troy as "perfect," nor would he have wanted us to. We'd describe him as real. Really talented. Really funny. Really bullheaded. Generous, inspiring, and unforgettable—sometimes all at once.

The truth is, though, that some of Troy's greatest battles were the ones no one could see. His mind rarely gave him the quiet he deserved. He fought harder than most people will ever know. Those who loved him knew both the joy he brought into the world and the weight he carried behind the scenes. We take comfort in believing he has finally found the peace that escaped him here.

Troy is survived by his parents, Bill and Annette Howard; his sister, Melissa Illingworth; his nephew, Colin Illingworth; his niece, Stella Illingworth; his grandmother, Gloria Gerou; his uncles, Dean Gerou (Jan), Mike Gerou (Sue), and Jim Morgan; his aunts, Ginny Merceri (Pete), and Leslie Howard; his many cousins, extended family; and an extraordinary community of his friends who became family.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Eugene Gerou, Ken Howard, and Marge Howard; his uncles, Dave Gerou and Danny Gerou; his aunt, Sheryl Morgan; and his cousin, Lisa Howard.

Each of us carries stories that could only belong to Troy. He made us laugh, shake our heads, roll our eyes, cheer from the sidelines, try to keep up, and remember just how lucky we were to know him.

The measure of a life isn't always found in the number of years. Sometimes it's found in the stories people can't stop telling long after you're gone. And as long as we're telling them, a part of Troy is still leading the way.

Thank you, Troy, for the laughter, the memories, the lessons, and the love. You gave us more than you ever knew, and we will carry you with us always.

A tribute to Troy Howard will held on Saturday, August 29th, at 1:00pm at Pioneer Hall in Arlington. Located at 20722 67th Ave NE, Arlington WA 98223.