William (Bill) George Howe
William George Howe of Grafton passed away peacefully, with his loving wife and son by his side, at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, January 15, 2017, at the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, Wisconsin. Born in Macon, Georgia, on September 26, 1943, Bill was raised in Antigo, Wisconsin. As a boy, Bill was active in scouting from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts to Order of the Arrow and was a member of the local Civil Air Patrol. He enjoyed skiing in the winter and waterskiing in the summer months. Bill was very creative: he and a friend once built both a tandem bicycle and a unicycle. Always interested in the media, he could take apart and rebuild radios, and actually created and broadcast from a radio station in the basement of his boyhood home at 1111 Third Avenue. Bill sang in both the high school and church choirs, and a gathering of friends at home would often evolve into a "hootenanny," with family and friends singing folk songs to the beat of bongos. Bill was also a member of the DeMolay, a Masonic organization for young men. After graduation from Antigo High School in 1961, he studied electronics at both Stout State College in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and Wausau Technical Institute in Wausau, Wisconsin. In 1965, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Bill served two years in Vietnam, earning the Parachutist Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal. He achieved the rank of Sergeant, and, most notably, became a Green Beret and member of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Later in life Bill also joined the Air Force Reserve and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant. We are grateful for and proud of his service. After honorable discharge from the Army, Bill worked at WSAU-TV in Wausau. While living in Wausau, Bill became interested in pre-GPS rally racing, armed with only a compass, car, and a navigator. Bill loved magic and often entertained children of family and friends with an impromptu magic show. During his time in Wausau, Bill was introduced to a young woman named Clarice “Bambi” Bruno. They married September 4, 1971. That same year Bill started working at WCEE-TV in Rockford, Illinois. In 1973, Bill and Bambi moved to Wisconsin, and Bill began working at WISN-TV in Milwaukee. A few years after moving to Grafton, in 1976, Bill’s only son was born. He was very proud of his son Billy’s accomplishments in their 40 years together, especially his becoming an Eagle Scout and his career with John Deere. In 1979, Bill took a new job at WITI-TV in Milwaukee, where he had a long, successful career as a television director/producer. Bill retired in 2005. In 2014, his son Billy and daughter-in-law Monica gave him his only granddaughter, who gave him unending joy and whom Bill affectionately called "Lila Bean." He had a lifelong penchant for affectionately bestowing nicknames on most everyone in the family and on countless friends. During his retirement, as well as while he was still working, Bill enjoyed more hobbies and activities than anyone in the history of Earth! They included, but were not limited to, collecting American and European toy trains, toy cars, John Deere tractors, and microphones; model railroading; ham radio; electronics; his "records to CDs" business; going to antique shops and garage sales; remote control airplanes and boats; riding motorcycles and scooters; photography and videography; taking family vacations out west; singing in the church choir; playing with the BLT's band; playing the banjo and ukulele; public speaking; doing crossword puzzles; rooting for the Green Bay Packers; and volunteering his time with the Boy Scouts. We will all miss our husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. We will never forget his sense of humor and ability to entertain through storytelling. Bill is survived by his wife, Clarice Marie (Bruno); son William Dominic Howe (Monica); granddaughter Lila Ann Howe; two brothers, Rufus (Ruth) and Thomas (Melissa); and two sisters, Mary Scott and Cathy Jane. He was preceded in death by his parents, S. Scott and Mercedes (Hanneman) Howe; and his brother Robert Weld Howe. A Funeral Service will be held at 6:00PM on Thursday, January 19, 2017 at Eernisse Funeral Home Cedarburg (1167 Washington Ave) with Pastor Don Drollinger presiding. Visitation will be held from 3:00-6:00PM. The interment and full military honors will take place Friday, January 20, 2017 at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Lung Association or the Wounded Warrior Project would be appreciated.Obituary
William George Howe of Grafton passed away peacefully, with his loving wife and son by his side, at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, January 15, 2017, at the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, Wisconsin. Born in Macon, Georgia, on September 26, 1943, Bill was raised in Antigo, Wisconsin. As a boy, Bill was active in scouting from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts to Order of the Arrow and was a member of the local Civil Air Patrol. He enjoyed skiing in the winter and waterskiing in the summer months. Bill was very creative: he and a friend once built both a tandem bicycle and a unicycle. Always interested in the media, he could take apart and rebuild radios, and actually created and broadcast from a radio station in the basement of his boyhood home at 1111 Third Avenue. Bill sang in both the high school and church choirs, and a gathering of friends at home would often evolve into a "hootenanny," with family and friends singing folk songs to the beat of bongos. Bill was also a member of the DeMolay, a Masonic organization for young men. After graduation from Antigo High School in 1961, he studied electronics at both Stout State College in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and Wausau Technical Institute in Wausau, Wisconsin. In 1965, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Bill served two years in Vietnam, earning the Parachutist Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal. He achieved the rank of Sergeant, and, most notably, became a Green Beret and member of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Later in life Bill also joined the Air Force Reserve and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant. We are grateful for and proud of his service. After honorable discharge from the Army, Bill worked at WSAU-TV in Wausau. While living in Wausau, Bill became interested in pre-GPS rally racing, armed with only a compass, car, and a navigator. Bill loved magic and often entertained children of family and friends with an impromptu magic show. During his time in Wausau, Bill was introduced to a young woman named Clarice “Bambi” Bruno. They married September 4, 1971. That same year Bill started working at WCEE-TV in Rockford, Illinois. In 1973, Bill and Bambi moved to Wisconsin, and Bill began working at WISN-TV in Milwaukee. A few years after moving to Grafton, in 1976, Bill’s only son was born. He was very proud of his son Billy’s accomplishments in their 40 years together, especially his becoming an Eagle Scout and his career with John Deere. In 1979, Bill took a new job at WITI-TV in Milwaukee, where he had a long, successful career as a television director/producer. Bill retired in 2005. In 2014, his son Billy and daughter-in-law Monica gave him his only granddaughter, who gave him unending joy and whom Bill affectionately called "Lila Bean." He had a lifelong penchant for affectionately bestowing nicknames on most everyone in the family and on countless friends. During his retirement, as well as while he was still working, Bill enjoyed more hobbies and activities than anyone in the history of Earth! They included, but were not limited to, collecting American and European toy trains, toy cars, John Deere tractors, and microphones; model railroading; ham radio; electronics; his "records to CDs" business; going to antique shops and garage sales; remote control airplanes and boats; riding motorcycles and scooters; photography and videography; taking family vacations out west; singing in the church choir; playing with the BLT's band; playing the banjo and ukulele; public speaking; doing crossword puzzles; rooting for the Green Bay Packers; and volunteering his time with the Boy Scouts. We will all miss our husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. We will never forget his sense of humor and ability to entertain through storytelling. Bill is survived by his wife, Clarice Marie (Bruno); son William Dominic Howe (Monica); granddaughter Lila Ann Howe; two brothers, Rufus (Ruth) and Thomas (Melissa); and two sisters, Mary Scott and Cathy Jane. He was preceded in death by his parents, S. Scott and Mercedes (Hanneman) Howe; and his brother Robert Weld Howe. A Funeral Service will be held at 6:00PM on Thursday, January 19, 2017 at Eernisse Funeral Home Cedarburg (1167 Washington Ave) with Pastor Don Drollinger presiding. Visitation will be held from 3:00-6:00PM. The interment and full military honors will take place Friday, January 20, 2017 at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Lung Association or the Wounded Warrior Project would be appreciated.