Funeral service for Jimmy Jon Howe, 76, of Hettinger, ND will be held at 10:30am Friday, July 13, 2012 at the Hettinger Lutheran Church. Pastor Kathleen Dettmann and Rev. Joe Burgess will officiate with burial in the Hettinger Cemetery.

Visitation will be on Thursday from 1:00 to the time of the Gathering of Family and Friends Service at 7:30pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger.

Jimmy Jon Howe was born September 4, 1935 in Reeder, ND, the son of Floyd and Sylvia Howe. He lived all his life on the Howe Hereford Ranch, south of Reeder, ND. He attended country school and graduated from Hettinger High School. He was an all-around athlete enjoying varsity sports: football, basketball and baseball. He was a Black Devil, a Shooting Star and a Bear. He participated in FFA, band, choir, men's glee club, student council and Vice President of the 1953 Senior Class. He took great pride in showing registered horned Hereford cattle, a tradition he passed on to his girls growing up on the ranch.

He attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD studying animal husbandry and returned to the ranch to begin a 40 year career raising Herefords with his father. Jim honorably served his country, as a member of Company C with the 817th Combat Engineers Battalion of the North Dakota National Guard in 1958.

In 1960 Jimmy married Pamela Brandt in Hettinger. They had three children, Christine (Kyle) Lenerville, Richardton, ND; Brenda (Rob) Bartholomew, Rapid City, SD; and Jewel (JD) Coffman, Columbia, MO. In 1975 he married Harriet Tobin in Hettinger. Jimmy and Harriet had one daughter, Maureen, Sioux Falls, SD.

Jimmy had a lifelong interest in breeding and raising Hereford cattle and was assisted by his trusted employee and personal friend, Rik Baumeister. He was a member of the North Dakota Stockman's Association as well as the North Dakota and American Hereford Association. Jimmy was very involved in the community. He was Board of Director Secretary at Reeder Grain and Chairman of the Board of West River Regional Medical Center for many years. He had many interests including bowling, golf, West River Saddle Club and western art. Jimmy was a member of Hettinger Lutheran Church serving as Superintendent of Sunday School. Most of all he loved following the school and 4-H activities of his four girls.

Jimmy Howe died July 10, 2012, under the care of the Good Samaritan Home in Mott.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Sylvia Howe and his beloved dog Buddy. He is survived by his wife Harriet, four daughters and sons-in-law, seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Bruce and Wava Howe, Dickinson, ND; David and Charlene Howe, Anchorage, AK; one sister, Avis Howe, Denver, CO; and numerous cousins.

In lieu of flowers Memorials have been established by the family.