July 4, 1950-Jan. 1, 2023
Howard Edward Wade was born July 4, 1950, in the old McGregor Hospital to James Erwin Wade and Ida Elray Crawford Wade. He was the middle child and only son. He passed on Jan. 1, 2023, after a two-year battle with cancer.
He grew up in St. George when it was a small town, and everyone knew everyone. He went to school in St. George and graduated from Dixie High.
He tells stories of cherry bombs dropped in oil pans in shop class, drag racing along 700 South to the Old River Bridge and he and his friends chasing girls in Cedar and Hurricane. If you want more stories, talk to his grandsons.
From high school, he entered the Navy. He went to engineering school in Chicago. From there he was assigned to the USS Southerland. After he got out of the Navy, he joined the 19th Special Forces where he excelled in his training. He rose in Rank to master sergeant.
He worked and retired from the City of St. George. Feb. 1, 1974, he married Deana Holdaway in Las Vegas. This was a ready-made family for him as he also got a daughter. Together they had three more children. Together as a family there were a lot of trips – camping, hunting and fishing.
After their children were raised, Howard and Deana traveled with friends. What fun they had together.
Howard is survived by his wife Deana; children Barbara, Cathie, James (Tonya) and Edward (Megan); as well as 20 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; sisters Nancy (Verl) and Trish; mother-in-law Gwen Holdaway; brothers-in-law David (Linda), Ron (Jolynne), Lydell (Karen), Kelvin and Brent (Lorene) and sister-in-law Becky (Gary).
He is preceded in death by his father James E Wade, his mother Ida Crawford Wade, daughters Shauna and Kimberly and father-in-law Dean Holdaway.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, Jan. 6, at 11 a.m, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Enterprise Stake Center, 80 South Center Street, Enterprise, Utah.
A visitation will take place on Thursday, Jan. 5, from 6-8 p.m., at Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 South Bluff St., St. George, Utah.
A second visitation will be held on Friday, Jan. 6, from 9-10:30 a.m., at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Enterprise Stake Center, 80 South Center Street, Enterprise, prior to services.
Interment will take place at the Enterprise City Cemetery, 565 East 100 North, Enterprise.
Arrangements are under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S Bluff St., St. George, 435-673-2454. Family and friends are invited to sign Howard’s online guest book.