Micheal "Mike" Charles Howard

Micheal “Mike” Charles Howard, of Kosse, passed away unexpectedly while on a call with Jewett EMS in the Flynn area, on Saturday, September 13, 2014, and was taken to the Madisonville Hospital. He was 46 years young. Visitation will be held at Groesbeck Funeral Home on Thursday, September18, 2014, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Friday, September 19, 2014, at the First Baptist Church of Groesbeck, with Pastor Marc Jones (of the Denton area) and Pastor Anthony Svajda of the First Baptist Church of Jewett officiating. Fellow EMS, Fire and Law Enforcement brothers and sisters will accompany him and be standing watch full time at Groesbeck Funeral Home and the Church until burial. A Military Honor Guard will provide final honors at the Kosse City Cemetery where he will be laid to rest. Serving in the special Honor Guard during services will be Brody Weinmann, Shane Holmes, Dean Hardin, and Steve Hicks, Jr. Pallbearers will be Shelton Chapman, Jourdan Howard, Weslie Collins, Bill Taylor, Roy Terrell, and Joey Harris. Honorary pallbearers will be Robert Howard, Jr, Will Hancock, Charlie Hancock, Kenneth Unger, James Howard, Carl Smith, and "Slinky Howard" (Mike's special 4-legged friend). Micheal was born July 11, 1968 to Robert Lane Howard and Bridget (Logue) Howard in Austin where his father was stationed at Bergstrom Air Force Base. He grew up in the world, with his family moving in the military to many different locations. However, he considered Kosse his home once his grandparents, Walter and Mary Graeber bought their farm there in the eighties. Mike joined the U. S. Navy in the nineties, and served on the U.S.S. Yorktown out of Norfolk, Virginia. He chose to train as a firefighter, and was Command Master-at-Arms on the ship, as well as M.P. while on shore. His ship was deployed for Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and “Operation Provide Comfort.” Mike had many stories about his time in the Navy, which he enjoyed sharing often. While in the Navy, Mike took college classes in herpetology, fueling his interest and knowledge of snakes. After his discharge from the Navy, he followed his training and interest in fire fighting by volunteering with the Kosse Volunteer Fire Department. He took EMS training at the Mexia Fire Department and was certified in 1992. He worked in EMS for Limestone Medical Center from 1993 through 2008. Also, he worked for Teague EMS, and from 2007 to the present he worked for Jewett EMS. Serving the public and helping his fellow man was Mike’s primary goal in life. He was an adjunct instructor through TEEX, teaching EMS classes whenever there was a need, primarily in the Jewett area. He mentored many people, who each went on to do great things in their lives. His students included his wife, his daughter, and his son-in-law. While working at LMC, Mike met his future wife, Catherine Ann Simon, who was working at the hospital. He encouraged her to take her first basic class and even paid the fee. Mike and Cathy were united in marriage on September 14, 1996, in Kosse. They made their home in Kosse, with Amanda, who was four years old, and who instantly became Mike’s own beloved daughter. Mike was easy-going with exceptional humor – he DID make everyone laugh. He was a counselor, mentor, and friend to family, co-workers, acquaintances, and even his patients. He cracked jokes as a means to relieve tense situations. He had a special relationship with Charlie Hancock, which began as friends, full-time EMS partners for several years, brothers, room-mates and finally as his son-in-law. Charlie credits Mike, as do his wife and daughter, for making each of them the person they are today. He encouraged everyone to reach their full potential. Mike’s interests were many; he was an obsessive reader, for pleasure or research; student of history (with the best memory of details of anyone); Trivia-buff on many varied subjects; loved playing X-box games, fishing and target shooting; photography; and he really loved Zoo trips. He chose San Antonio for his and Cathy’s honeymoon to see the zoo. And he would take the family to the Waco zoo anytime they were in the vicinity and had time. He enjoyed the gorillas and especially the snakes (with his depth of knowledge from his herpetology classes.) Cathy was his soul-mate and shared many of his interests, except snakes, as well as working in the same career. Mike shared his love of movies and photography with his daughter, Amanda. His passionate interest lately, however, was the expected arrival of his first grandchild, Mieke Marie Hancock, sharing his excitement with the expectant parents, Amanda and Charlie Hancock and his wife, “Nana-Cat.” Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Howard and Bridget Logue, and his grandparents, Walter and Mary Graeber. He is survived by his wife, Catherine Howard of Kosse; daughter and son-in-law, Amanda and Charlie Hancock of Jewett; granddaughter due February 2015, Mieke Marie Hancock; sister, Jacqui Lewis of Paradise, TX; brother, Chris Howard of Conroe; brother, Robert Howard, Jr. of Mena, AR; uncle, Jim Howard of Kosse; nieces, Taylor Howard and Kelsey Howard of Friendswood; and nephews, Michael Howard of Mena, AR, Tanner Howard, Cody Howard, Kim Lewis, Kenny Lewis; and cousins, Jourdan Howard and Lindsey Howard. He also leaves behind many close friends, his EMS, Fire and Law Enforcement Family, and "Slinky Howard" and 3 other 4-legged friends.