Cliff E. Howard

Howard, Cliff E. MADISON/PORTAGE-Cliff E. Howard, age 88, passed away on Thursday, June 26, 2014. He was born in Darlington, on Nov. 29, 1925, the son of Harry and Annie (Carlson) Howard. He graduated from Darlington High School in 1943 and enlisted in the Army Air Corp. He served with the 8th Air Force in WWII flying as a waist gunner on a B24 Liberator bomber based at Wendling, England with the 392nd bomb group. After being discharged in 1946 he signed up for three additional years in the Air Force Reserve and enrolled at the University of Dubuque in Dubuque, IA. He found the girl he had been looking for was already in attendance there, and Jean Ross and Cliff were married at the University Chapel on September 5, 1947. Cliff graduated from the Platteville State Teachers College in 1950. In 1961 he received his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Marquette University. His teaching career started by teaching all eight grades in a one room school in Iowa County. He moved to a teaching/principal position at Swallow School in Waukesha County, and then became Administrator for the Union Grove Grade School District in Racine County before moving to the Madison School District in 1965. He served as principal of three Madison schools (Lakewood, Elvehjem and Sandburg) where he retired in 1986. After retiring Cliff and Jean enjoyed traveling and spending time with family especially at the lake cottage in Tomahawk. They moved to Portage in 2002. Cliff enjoyed reading, working with stained glass and playing guitar as a member of the Valley Guys Duo. The duo of Cliff and his brother Homer entertained seniors at several Madison and surrounding area senior centers. Cliff was a life-long member of the VFW Cottage Grove Road #7591. He is survived by his wife, Jean; two sons, Craig (Susan) Howard of Elmhurst, IL, Kirk (Patti) of Merrill; one daughter, Janis (Paul) Treadeau of Sturgeon Bay; four grandsons, Jason (Lyndsay) Howard, Eric Howard (Mizan), Brandon (Meghan) Howard, Lance Treadeau; two granddaughters, Brittany (Dayne) Witkowski, Andrea Treadeau; a step granddaughter, Elizabeth Gaedtke; and two great grandsons, Mitchell and Greyson Howard. He is also survived by one brother, Homer Howard of Stoughton; and a sister, Hattie (Ron) Johnston of Darlington; and many loved nieces and nephews. Services will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Dr. Madison, at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 2014. Burial, with Military Honors, will be at Highland Memory Gardens. Visitation will be at the funeral home from 9 a.m. until the time of the service on Wednesday. The family would like to acknowledge and thank all the wonderful Hospice health care providers from Home Health United, Portage, for their loving and compassionate care of Cliff and the entire family. Memorials in Cliff’s memory can be made to the Badger Honor Flight, Madison, or the Portage Presbyterian Church, Portage. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608)221-5420