Charles "Bob" Robert Howard

Charles "Bob" Robert Howard, 85 of Kalamazoo passed away peacefully on November 30, 2022. Bob was born on October 20, 1937, to the late Roy B. Howard Jr. and Helen P. (Phelps) Howard in Jackson, MI. Bob graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1956. On June 14, 1958, he married the love of his life, Kenna Jean Raney in Traverse City.

Bob spent several years working for Town and Country Super Markets before spending 25 years in production scheduling at General Motors Fisher Body Division. Bob passionately served on the Comstock Fire Department for many years as a Firefighter, on the Fire Board, and as Fire Commissioner.

Bob’s greatest joy of all was spending time with his family. He also enjoyed coaching softball, baseball, and rocket football, camping up north, deer hunting, fishing, and golf. Sharing ice cream and popcorn on Sunday nights with family were some of Bob’s most cherished memories.

Bob is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Kenna J. Howard; children Deborah (Howard) Russon, Barbara (Howard) and Chris Lee, and Thomas and Abbie Howard; grandchildren Darren (Karley) Howard, Jason (Monica) Lee, Dustin (Melissa) Howard, Sarah (Freddy) Pitcher, Amber  Lee (Manuel Montaño), Amanda Russon, and Mackenzie Bogema (Joshua Shivley); great-grandchildren Jamie Howard, Levi Howard, Elo Whitehead, Harrison Lee, Jaxon Pitcher, Zane Pitcher, Skylar Howard, and Summer Howard; and siblings Roy (Sandy) Howard and Richard Howard. Bob was preceded in death by his parents and a sister-in-law Carol Howard.

A memorial gathering for Bob will be held on Monday, December 5, 2022, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm at Langeland Family Funeral Home Memorial Location 622 S. Burdick St. Kalamazoo, MI 49007. A memorial service will follow at 2:00, also at Langeland’s. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Comstock Fire Department P.O. Box 8, Comstock, MI 49041; Sunnyside United Methodist Church, 2800 Gull Rd., Kalamazoo, MI 49048 and Rose Arbor Hospice Residence c/o Centrica Care Navigators 7100 Stadium Dr., Kalamazoo, MI 49009.