Goodbye Brian Howard (Wildcard)----Alaska & Hawaii

[z17amethyst]

I just found out our dear friend and fellow diver, Brian Howard, of Calif, AK and Hawaii passed at the age of 44 on Sept 8th, 2008.........The events in the local newspaper stated that he was the victim of a murder/suicide...where his girlfriend shot him then herself in front of her 13 yr old daughter....It is with shock that we, as a community attempt to cope with this loss........Brian was active in his community of Homer, Alaska always giving of himself to community causes...and to those less fortunate.......
RIP, Brian.....

 

[alcina]

Brian was a great guy in all my chats with him. This is a terrible tragedy.

My best thoughts to his family and friends.

 

[CheddarChick]

RIP, Brian.....The world just got darker....

 

[almitywife]

OH MY GOSH...... i liked Wildcard, he was a nice guy!

my sincere condolences to his family & friends..... such a horrible & unfair tragedy

i hope there is a better place for the good people we have lost

 

[Missdirected]

OMG - this is horrible. I am so sorry.

What a day.

 

[Zeeman]

Shocked. Terrible news. My best wishes to his family and friends...

 

[Desert_Diver]

http://homernews.com/stories/091708/obits_23_013.shtml

Story last updated at 10:15 PM on Wednesday, September 17, 2008

[FONT=verdana, sans-serif]Brian Lee Howard [/FONT]






Brian Lee Howard died in a homicide June 9, 2008. He was born in Concord, Calf., June 9, 1964, to Chester Howard of Sacramento, Calif., and Ruby Howard of Penryn, Calif. He attended Oro High School in Loomis Calf., then Sierra College in Rocklin where he took classes in fire fighting. A commercial fisherman in both California and Alaska, he was in the United States Air Force in explosive ordinance disposal, and a trained EMT and paramedic. Brian did EOD. work in Adak, Hawaii and Iraq, as well as Puerto Rico. In Hawaii, where he was also a SCUBA diving instructor, Brian married and divorced 10 months later. Incapacitated by a failed neck surgery while there, he returned to Homer where he drove school bus and took physician assistant classes. Following a fire that consumed his cabin, he returned to work for Fairweather in Prudhoe Bay and Soldotna. Back in Homer, Brian was a member of the volunteer fire department, and on the board of directors of Kachemak Emergency Services Area.


Brian Lee Howard

Brian is survived by his parents Chester and Ruby Howard; sister, Linda Howard Fuhrman, niece Lucy and nephew Casey, of Loomis, Calif.; brother Dale Howard and three children of Santa Rosa, Calf.; half-sister Ann Howard and children Felicia Dobias and son-in-law Josh, of Mansfield, Ohio; grandchildren Skylar and Brianna Dobias; aunts Geneva Chatoian of San Mateo, Calf., Georgia Curran of Mildred, Kan., Helen and Jim Painter of Kansas City, Jacqueline and Alvin Ewan of Bannerspring, and June Wendtof Berryville, Ark.

A potluck and memorial is at 3 p.m. Sept. 18, 2008. at the McNeil Canyon Fire Station. Arrangements were entrusted to the Cremation Society of Alaska. An online tribute may be signed at Cremation Society of Alaska : Anchorage, Alaska (AK).


No more page outs. No more sirens. RIP, dude.

Art

 

[diversteve]

Although the Homer News post says June, I believe this actually took place 11 days ago.

Apparent murder-suicide investigated near Homer: Alaska News | adn.com
Man, woman die in Homer: Daughter witnesses murder-suicide | Peninsula Clarion

Just when it seemed like things were finally improving for him.

First Wildcard then Packet. Our world is diminished by both losses.

 

[z17amethyst]

Thank you for this info...However, there is some misinformation in this article...the day of the homicide was Sept. 8th,....not June 9th as in this obit's 1st line....for more detailed info....See the article in the Homer News....dated Thursday, Sept. 11th....
Thank you again for your tribute to Brian.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Wow. My condolences to his friends and family. so sad.