Howard Humbert

CASA GRANDE - Howard James "Howie" Humbert Sr., 74, died on March 14, 2018.

Mr. Humbert was born on Feb. 19, 1944, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and grew up in the small farming community of West Winfield in Upstate New York. He graduated from West Winfield Central School in 1962 and attended The Citadel military college in Charleston, South Carolina, for a year and a half. He joined the Navy and served from 1964 to 1970, during the Vietnam War. He volunteered for combat service but was not assigned in that way. He served on the USS Grand Canyon, was a machinist second class and was stationed in South Carolina and Italy. He achieved E5 grade and received the National Defense Service and Good Conduct medals.

He owned and operated the Sun and Sand Cafe in Newport, Rhode Island. There he met and married Pam, and they settled down to raise a family. He left the bar business and entered the field that became his career. He moved near Toledo, Ohio, and worked at Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station. He then moved to Buckeye and worked at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station for 38 years, retiring in 2010. He already had turned a hobby of coin collecting into a business and continued that in retirement. He also had a longtime interest in guns and became a licensed gun dealer.

From the time he was a teenager he had a passion for cars and loved working on them, competing in drag races and attending the Daytona 500. He had a sincere love for his country and always bought products labeled "Made in the USA." He loved to travel all over the country and his favorite place was Las Vegas. He was a passionate Elvis Presley fan. He had a strong work ethic and was dedicated to his family, in whom he took great pride. In 2014 he moved to Casa Grande to live with his longtime partner, Linda Montgomery. They married on Feb. 25, 2018, in the chapel of Chandler Regional Medical Center.

He is survived by his wife; two sons, Howard Jr. "Chip" and Jeremy; a daughter, Dawn Prather; a sister, Jan Epstein; four grandchildren; Linda's granddaughter; and her son.

J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud The Gardens Chapel in charge of arrangements.