Howard "Howie" W. Koone Iii

Howie Koone loved to make people laugh, and his quick wit could always bring a smile to the faces of friends and family. Howie was proud of his Native American heritage and his military service, but most of all he was proud of his sons. Family togetherness was of foremost importance in Howies life, and he was never happier than when surrounded by his family members. Howies adventurous spirit, generous nature, and kind heart will live on in the hearts and memories of all those whose lived he touched. Howard Howie Koone III was born on March 20, 1958, the first day of spring. His proud parents were Howard William Jr. and Irma Lillian (Briggs) Koone. Howie grew up in a big family, with five siblings to keep him company: Linda, Cindy, Teresa, Leland, and Todd. The Koone family lived in Muskegon, Michigan, where Howard earned a living as a postal supervisor for the USPS and Irma stayed at home to raise the children. Young Howie grew up in the Nims area of Muskegon, where his outgoing and friendly personality soon won him many friends. He loved spending time outdoors, and two of his favorite pastimes were fishing and turtle hunting. When the time came for Howie to go to school, he attended classes at Nelson School and Trinity Lutheran School. The Koone family belonged to Our Saviors Lutheran Church, where Howie received Holy Communion. After graduating from Muskegon High School in 1976, Howie decided to serve his country by joining the U.S. Marine Corps. While in the corps, Howie learned to fly helicopters, which would become a lifelong hobby. In the years to come, Howie would create treasured family memories by taking family members up for helicopter rides. Back home in Michigan, Howie found a job with the U.S. Postal Service and settled down in Grand Rapids. Later, Howie would go on to become the Facilities Engineering Supervisor at Little River Casino, as well as own his own satellite business, Skynet. Flirtatious and good-looking with long, lustrous hair, Howie was always popular with the ladies. Although Howie never married, he did have 4 sons born to him, Tyler, Logan Henry, and Jared with Cindy Priest and Bryan Adam with Diane Ford. A free spirit in his younger days, Howie matured with his sons, growing into a proud and responsible father. In his free time, Howie loved being in the great outdoors, and could often be spotted gardening, hunting, camping, or training his hunting dogs, Monty and Chester. He enjoyed getting together his best friend, Garry, who lived in Wisconsin. Howie was also a proud member of the Little River Ottawa Tribal Warriors Society. He celebrated his Native American heritage by participating in tribal ceremonies and making Indian crafts. Sadly, Howie was forced to retire in 2006, after a massive heart attack that resulted in significant memory loss. Generous and smart, adventurous and kind-hearted, Howie was a loving father, a patriotic American, a proud Native American, and a loyal friend. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his many friends and family members. Mr. Howard "Howie" W. Koone III died on December 23, 2012, at the age of 54. Howies family includes his sisters, Linda (Robert) Perkins of Twin Lake, Cindy (Kelly) DeFrench of Norton Shores, and Teresa (John) Wabsis of Walkerville; his brothers, Leland (Kelly) Koone of Muskegon, and Todd (Mark) Koone of Rockford; his sons, Tyler Priest of FL, Bryan Ford of Kalamazoo, and Logan Priest of Holland and Jared Priest. He was preceded in death by his parents. Services will be celebrated at 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 29, with visitation 1 hour prior to the service, at the Clock Chapel - Muskegon. MEMORIAL: Neuro Rehabilitation Services, 1401 Cedar St. N.E. , Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Please visit Howies personal memory page at www.clockfuneralhome.com, where you can learn more about his life, share a favorite memory or photo, and sign the online guestbook.