Howard Walter Young, 86, passed away July 27, 2024, in St. George, Utah. He was a resident of Mesquite, Nevada, having retired there in 2003. He was born in 1937 in Bluffton, Indiana.

Although he was adopted in 1938 by John and Ethel Young of Peru, Indiana, he always maintained close ties with his birth mother, Mary Louisa Jenkins Porter until her death in 1989.

Howard moved to Wyoming in 1963 where he met his best friend and soulmate, Sharon Lee Suchta. The couple wed in 1964 and had two children: Ronda Lee Young of Anchorage, AK and Jarrett Young of El Cajon, CA. His first marriage to Alice Bryant ended in divorce. They had two sons: John H. Young who preceded him in death and James H. Young of Bluffton, SC.

Howard also has five grandchildren: Brandy (Michael) Abel, Michael (Tammy) Young, Stephanie (Jeff) Sackett and Kristy Young, all of Virginia and Stephanie Ann (Andrew) Malone of Pacifica, CA. In addition, he has eight great-grandchildren, one great-great granddaughter and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by is adoptive parents, John and Ethel Young; his birth parents, Mary Porter and Alva Ertel; his oldest son, John; and two brothers: George Ertel and Robert Ertel.

Howard grew up on the family farm in Indiana and attended school in Bunker Hill, Indiana. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1954 and served aboard the destroyer escort USS Lewis and the aircraft carrier USS Midway. He was honorably discharged in 1958 as a Boilerman 2nd Class.

Following his military service, he operated the family farm in Indiana for a short period of time before moving to Virginia where he owned and operated a service station and later worked as a patrolman for the Waynesboro Police Department. In 1963 he moved to Buffalo, Wyoming and later lived and worked in various locations in Wyoming, Colorado and Alaska. His principal career included 28 years as a professional truck driver, but also worked for many years as a power plant operator, law enforcement officer and as a crane operator on the massive Trans-Alaska Pipeline Project. In 2002 he retired from the Teamsters Local 959 in Alaska and moved to Mesquite, Nevada the following year.

Howard was a member of Riverton Lodge No. 26, A.F. and A.M. of Riverton, Wyoming and a member (32nd degree) of the Scottish Rite of Fairbanks, Alaska. While in Alaska, he also was a member of the Nile Shrine Temple in Seattle, Washington and later became a charter member of the Al Aska Shrine Temple when it was formed in 1974.

Howard enjoyed fishing, traveling and being with his family. Since retiring he and his wife visited all fifty states as well as all of the extreme points in the continental United States, including farthest north, south, east and west points.

Memorial donations may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children in care of Harness Funeral Home, 351 North Adams, Buffalo, WY 82834.

His cremains will be forwarded to Buffalo, Wyoming where an informal family Memorial Service and Masonic Rites will be held. Burial will be in Willow Grove Cemetery.