Slife, Howard

Howard Slife, 86, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, at Heritage Nursing and Rehab Center after a long illness. Friends may visit from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Teahen Funeral Home, Cedar Rapids. Private family services will be held at a later date.

Howard was born Aug. 12, 1923, in Central City, Iowa, to James and Laura (Clampitt) Slife. He attended public school in Central City, graduating with the class of 1940. He was a member of the Central City United Methodist Church. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy (1943 – 1946), obtaining the rank of SOMH 2C. He was stationed for two years on Adak Island in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, as a sonar radio operator. He was later stationed in Norfolk, Va., where he met his bride to be at the malt shop.

Howard and Evelyn Jean Powell were united in marriage on April 12, 1946, in Portsmouth, Va. They made their first home together in Central City, where Howard owned and operated Wapsi Materials Co., a sand and gravel quarry, near the Wapsi River. After selling his company, he became general manager for the Ford Tractor dealership in Central City.

Howard served on the Central City Town Council in the 1950s and served as mayor pro tem for a short time. He was a member of the Central City Volunteer Fire Department (serving one term as chief), AMVETS, American Legion and Masonic Lodge No. 284

The family moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1959. Howard worked for Iowa Manufacturing Co. (now Cedarapids Inc.) for 30 years, retiring in 1986 as vice president of sales. He joined the board of directors of Reuter Equipment, Phoenix, Ariz., (a former Cedarapids dealership) for a few years before retiring once again.

Howard enjoyed woodworking, making many pieces of furniture for his children and grandchildren; gardening; mowing the yard with his trusty John Deere tractor; golfing at Twin Pines; fishing on the Mississippi; hunting pheasant; and bowling in the “Iowa Man” bowling league. He was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan and enjoyed all games played by the Chicago Cubs.

Howard was preceded in death by his parents and his older brother, James (Margaret) Slife.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Evelyn; his children, Dan (Sunny) of Cedar Rapids, Donn (Jill) of Coggon, Rebecca Marks of Des Moines, and James (Carol) of Oshkosh, Wis.; his grandchildren, Leslie (Kyle) DeBrower of Pleasant Hills, Carly (Casey) Fleming of Cedar Rapids, Lindsay (Jeff) Blancherd of West Des Moines, and Aaron Slife of Oshkosh, Wis.; and his great-grandchildren, Jesse and Emma Fleming, Cameron Nola and Ethan DeBrower.

He was loved and will be missed by all who knew him.

The family would like to thank the staff at Heritage Nursing and Rehab Center for the care given to Howard. We also want to thank the staff at Mercy Hospice for their help and care of Howard.

Online condolences may be left for the family at

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Camp Courageous of Iowa, P.O. Box 418, Monticello, IA 52310-0418.