Robert (Bob) Dale Howerton

Robert (Bob) Dale Howerton, age 83, of Arvada, CO, passed away on October 26th, 2017 surrounded by his family. He was born in Wilmington, IL on January 9th, 1934 to Daniel Leonard Howerton and Gretna Harriet (Verble) Howerton. He enjoyed band, choral groups, football, basketball and baseball and graduated High School in 1951. His military experience in the U.S. Navy Air granted him an Honorable Discharge in 1954 as a veteran of the Korean War stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. His principal duties included towing aerial targets for surface-to-air and air-to-air gunnery practice and also servicing aircraft armaments. In his free time, he was in the Navy band and participated in boxing, baseball and basketball (All-Star Team), was on the rifle team and spent a considerable amount of time snorkeling, scuba diving and spear fishing. In college at Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University), he played freshman basketball and was active in the Presbyterian Church Youth Group. Bob transferred to the University of Miami where he participated in intramural boxing and handball, Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity (President), was named to Alpha Epsilon Rho (national radio-TV-film honorary fraternity) and was the recipient of the Briggs Foundation Scholarship for cinematography. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1958. He met Sheralyn (Sherry) Sue Neuberger in Littleton, CO, where they were married on September 26th, 1959. They lived in Findlay, OH for 5 years where their first two daughters were born. He worked for Marathon Oil Company in Public Relations. In 1965, he returned to Colorado and settled in Arvada with his family to work at Rocky Flats as an Editor and then later as a Patent Officer. A few years later their third daughter was born. In his free time, he played golf and tennis. He retired in 1993. He had a life-long interest in music (mostly classical), reading informational books (mostly non-fiction) and had a great love for animals. He became the backbone to a very strong and loving family. He is survived by his wife of 58 years; Sherry Howerton, three daughters; Toby Paioff (Mitch), Tammy Heitsman (Alan), Terry Howerton and their grandchildren; Courtney and Ashley Manning, Morgan Howerton, Allison Heitsman, Josh Paioff and several nieces and nephews. His unwavering love for his immediate and extended family, along with his deep patriotic love for his country and all that represented those things, will forever give us strength. A Military Service will be held Wednesday, November 22nd, 2017 at 11:00 AM at Ft. Logan National Cemetery (staging area "A") followed by a Celebration of Life beginning at 1:00 PM at the Howerton home in Arvada. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his name to either Collier Hospice or The Colorado Center for the Blind.