Howard "Howie" Tomlinson
January 18, 1928 - May 18, 2017
Generous, humorous, a joyful frisky spirit
Howard “Howie” Tomlinson, 89, passed away peacefully after a short battle with cancer surrounded by his loving family and friends on May 18th, 2017. Howie was born January 18, 1928 to Les and Charlotte Tomlinson. Howie had a heck of a life, with anyone who met him becoming a friend. He loved people, laughing, girlfriends, making business deals, sailing, tequila; he fully enjoyed his time on earth. His word was his bond, and would do anything for anybody to help out.
Howie was in the loan business from the 50’s thru the 70’s and after losing his beloved wife Etta in 1970 to cancer, built custom homes he designed himself. Howie retired in the late 70’s to pursue his adventurous side by bumming the world sailing. He bought his dream cruising sail boat Credence, aka, “Jeffrey”, in 1978 and lived aboard for 25 years, settling in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, until at the age of 85, he and grandson Jeffery sailed Credence north 3000 miles To Everett, Washington. On his return to Everett he spent his time finishing his final residence, a custom treehouse he designed that overlooked Lake Stevens.
Howie is remembered as being a person of great curiosity; nothing escaped his examination. He was generous, humorous, which one friend described as a “joyful frisky spirit”, creative, a perfectionist in everything, and a trustworthy friend.
He is survived by a brother Dale, a sister Judy, sons Steve and Mark, Mark’s wife Tricia, daughter Joni, Joni’sboyfriend Billy Owens and son Manny Owens, grandsons Christopher, Chris’s wife Tiffany, Michael, Michael’s girlfriend Crystal, Jeffrey, Jeffrey’s girlfriend Emma, Jon-David, Joseph, Joseph’s wife Stephanie, granddaughter Lauren and her fiancé Eric, great-grandsons Gavin, Gavin, Ryan, Colton, Lennon, Merrick, many nieces and nephews to include his favorite nephew Craig, and of course a lifetime of friends. His family and friends will greatly miss his laugh and smile, his glee for life, that twinkle in his eye, his mischievous nature, his sense of humor, his generosity and his integrity.
Howie would say “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and proclaiming, WOW WHAT A RIDE!!!!!!!
Memorial
To reach the port of Heaven,
We must sail
Sometimes with the wind
And sometimes against it ~
But
We must sail,
and not drift,
nor lie at anchor.
Oliver Wendell Holmes
FUNERAL INFORMATION
A Mexican Fiesta celebrating Howie will be held June 17th, at 3:00 p.m. at Mark and Tricia Tomlinson’s home, 2807 E. Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, Sammamish, WA 98074. There is a private party event posted on Steve, Joni, Mark and Howie’s Facebook or you can call Joni Tomlinson to RSVP 214-704-4289. Please RSVP by June 12th.