Robert Thomas Howard

Robert Thomas Howard died of cancer on 9/30/2020 peacefully at his home in Wright, MN with his wife, daughter and sons by his side. Robert "Bob" was born on 11/18/1947 in Cloquet, and was an energetic and kindhearted man. He married Sandra (nee Erickson) on 9/20/1968 in Duluth right after boot camp, and served a total of 3.5 years in the Army, one year serving in Okinawa with Sandy coming along for the ride. After coming back to his hometown of Duluth and starting his family, he started working at Jamar as a sheet metal worker (Local 10). He continued at Jamar for 35 years and had the reputation of working on the tallest roofs in Duluth, like the Coppertop Church. He retired to his lake home on Tamarack Lake in 2006 and thoroughly enjoyed retired life in the country. Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Wilfred Joseph Howard and Hazel Deloris Howard. He is survived by his wife, Sandra; daughter, Carrie; sons, Russ (Angie) and Andrew (Sara); brothers, Bill (Anne) and Paul (Jamie); sisters, Liz and Renee; and grandchildren, Irene, Jack, Zeke, Drew, Leif and Fern. Special thanks to all the nurses at St. Luke's Hospital and St. Croix Hospice for their exceptional care during the last weeks of Bob's life. Bob will be laid to rest at the MN State Veteran's Cemetery - Duluth on Friday, October 9, 2020 at noon with a socially distanced and masked reception and lunch to follow at the AAD Shrine Meeting & Event Center. A card or note of condolence may be sent to the family c/o Atkins-Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th Street, Cloquet, MN 55720.