Obituary of Howard Lynn Hart

Howard "Howdy" Hart October 4, 1932 - November 8, 2016 Howdy was born and raised in Stratford, Texas. After he graduated from high school, he joined the Navy and served in Korea aboard "The Phillippine Seas." That is when he met and married his first wife, Janet Perkins and became the proud father of two daughters and a son. Howdy moved to California in the early 1950's where he was employed by the Southern California Gas Company. Then, at the age of 27, he joined the Glendale, California Police Force, proudly serving as a narcotics and juvenile officer and took early retirement at the rank of Sargent. Shortly after his 23 year marriage ended, he moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona in 1977, where he had spent years of vacation time water skiing with family and friends. In 1982, he married Vicki Baker and gained 2 sons, Brad and Duston, in the process. His activities during this time of his life included restoring cars (mainly Mustangs.) Having earned his private pilot's license, he began frequently flying back and forth from Texas to run the cattle company he and Vicki started. They also built a huge rec room/bar onto their house and dubbed it the "Ya'll come back saloon." However, in 1991, he and Vicki parted ways amicably.'' Never one to be idle, he began construction on a home in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, hauling bricks from Mexico, proudly noting there were 17,500 bricks from which he constructed his home, doing most of the labor himself. He then met his wife, Linda "Lin" in late 1992 and they were married in 1993. Together they pursued mutual interests in photography, four wheeling, boating, RV'ing, building, and enjoying their many pets. For several years, the beach home they discovered in Baja, Mexico, became their main vacation destination. Many happy hours were spent working, walking the beach, sitting by the campfire, watching the sunrise or moon over the ocean or just enjoying a cerveza with friends. In 2005, when his wife Lin retired, they purchased property outside of Yucca, Arizona and started another chapter in their lives as "desert rats.' Challenging, yet rewarding, with every small improvement, each new season brought a sense of progress. The last few years of his life brought changes to that progression due to his declining health, however, his desire in wanting to keep up wit friends, family, and world events via smart phones and his passion to travel never wavered. He will be remembered as a great, strong, stubborn, humorous man with a strong sense of pride and love of life and will be missed by all whose lives he touched. He is survived by his wife, Linda "Lin" Hart; daughters, Vicki Brunsweiller and Donna Harmon; sons, Brad and Duston Hart; ex-wives, Janet Latta and Vicki Hart; brother, William "Glenn" hart and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, William "Bill" Hart who passed away in 1989. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of Havasu. Services will be held at 4:00pm on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at the Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home Chapel in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. A Celebration of Life will be held at the American Legion immediately following the services. Services were placed in the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home. Thoughts and condolences can be sent to the Hart family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome.com.