Richard Kent Howells

Col. (Ret) Richard Kent Howells, 66, of Providence passed away at his home following a long battle with gastroesophageal varices.
Richard was born July 16, 1939 in Logan, Ut., the second son of Henry and Zella Howells of Paradise, Ut. He married Gloria Hansen on March 18, 1961. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Logan LDS Temple.
He graduated from South Cache High School in 1957. He received a bachelor's degree from Utah State University in 1962 and a master's degree from Central Michigan University in 1976. He attended Squadron Officer School in 1971, Air Command and Staff College in 1976 and completed the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1979.
He was a master radar navigator with over 3600 flying hours also serving as an instructor and evaluator. He completed two tours of duty in Southeast Asia flying 100 B-52D bombing missions.
In September 1971 he was selected to enter the FB-111A program and was assigned to Pease AFB, NH until his school assignment at Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, AL. The next three and a half years he spent as a supply officer at Chanute AFB, Rantoul, IL and Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. He returned to the states to fly in the FB-111 's at Plattsburgh, AFB, NY where he was selected as Bomb Squadron Operations officer and then was assigned as Commander of the Field Maintenance Squadron. A year later he moved up to the assistant Deputy Commander of Maintenance position with the 68th Air Refueling Group, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC. The next year he was assigned as the assistant Deputy Commander of Maintenance 319th Bomb Wing, Grand Forks, AFB, ND. After his promotion to Colonel in January 1986 he was assigned as the Deputy Commander of Maintenance, 43rd Bomb Wing, Anderson AFB, Guam. In June 1988, he was assigned to the largest logistics organization in the U.S. as Deputy Commander of Logistics, 93rd Bomb Wing, Castle AFB, CA until he was medically retired on June 7, 1989.
His decorations and awards included the Legion of Merit Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal among others and was proud to have served his country for 28 years.
Following his retirement he worked for Boeing in the Seattle, WA area for five years until his illness intensified and he and family returned to Cache Valley. He and Gloria built a home in Providence and he helped care for her mother and his parents in Paradise until their deaths. He received a liver transplant in March 1996 and was always grateful for those additional years that he'd been given. He had worked with the organ donation program and asked everyone to consider giving this precious gift of life to others.
He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day-Saints and served in many teaching and leadership positions including Bishoprics and High Council. He served on several Credit Union Boards and he and Gloria taught financial responsibility classes to young adults.
In his spare time Richard loved to hunt, fish and garden. He also enjoyed water color painting and stamp collecting.
He is survived by his wife, Gloria; five wonderful children, Brady (Mary) Howells, Modesto, CA; Holly Sue Howells, Logan, UT; Brooke (Sunshine) Howells, Rio Rico, AZ; Rebecca Howells (Jesse) Casters on, Missoula, MT and Justin (Katie) Howells, Great Falls, MT; ten grandchildren; a brother Doyle (Linda), Shelley, ID; a sister-in-law, Kathleen (Robert) Anderson, Salt Lake City, UT; a brother-in-law, Lance (Becky) Hansen, South Jordan, UT; an uncle Del (Carol) Howells, Paradise, UT and an aunt Lydia Pulsipher, Ogden, UT.
Funeral services will be held at 12 p.m. on Friday, Jan 20, 2006 at the Fruitland Acres Ward chapel 465 North 300 East, Providence with Bishop Spencer Johnson conducting. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, January 19 at Allen Hall Mortuary, 34 East Center in Logan and from 10:30 to 11 :30 a.m. Friday at the church prior to the service. Burial will be in the Providence Cemetery with military honors. Condolences may be extended to the family by going to www.allenmortuarie.net .