Howard Percy Deyarmond

Howard Percy Deyarmond was born to Perry and Mary (Willis) Deyarmond on October 14, 1924 on a farm near Strickland corners, west of Shepherd, Michigan. At the age of 11 he gave his heart to the Lord and was baptized in the river at Lumberjack Park. Throughout life, he endeavored to follow wherever the Lord lead him with a concern for the souls of family and those he came in contact with. Percy graduated from Shepherd High School in 1942. He enlisted in the army (after which he went by Howard) and served as sergeant in the 246 Combat Engineers which took him to Omaha Beach and the invasion of Normandy. After returning home he met the love of his life and married Rhoda Ann Schlienz on April 12, 1946 in Onaway, Michigan. He joined the Johnson and Green road construction company and as a foreman of the road crew helped build many bridges and roads in Michigan and the Alum Creek dam in Ohio. His work took us, as a family, to many locations in Michigan and a couple in Ohio. During the many moves he and Mom also built seven houses to sell after we had lived in them briefly. After road construction he was given the task of overseeing coal mining for the company in Kentucky until his retirement. Not one to sit still, he bought a skidsteer and bobcat and went into the timber business for a number of years in the 1980s. After final retirement he and Mom spent their time between fishing for salmon and raising a garden in Michigan for the summer and wintering in Florida, first at Marathon Key and finally at Maranatha Village in Sebring, Florida. He made friends wherever he went and if there was a job to do, he did it right. He faithfully cared for Mom as she journeyed through Alzheimers, and in 2008 bid her farewell, and in 2012 he also bid farewell to his daughter Nancy, until they all meet on yonder shore.

Survivors include his sister Nyladine and Virgil Redmond; his son James Howard Deyarmond and his wife, Robin of Stuart, Florida; Grandchildren and Great grandchildren: Tammy and Larry Noble, Jennifer Unger and Cassidy Unger of Ostrander, Ohio; Anthony and Jessica Deyarmond of Marion, Ohio; Adria and Patrick Deren, Aubrey and Michael of Gainsville, Florida; Matthew and Jennifer Deyarmond, Carter, Wyatt and Eli of Okeechobee, Florida; His son-in-law John Litwiller of Ithaca, Michigan; Grandchildren and Great grandchildren: Chris A Litwiller of Ithaca, Michigan; Amy Jo and Craig Inniger, Dustin (and wife Brittany), Candalyn, Katrina and Marshal of Bridgewater, Maine; Shelly and Chad Peters, Brandon, Monica, Zachery, and Mitchell of Ithaca, Michigan.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday, September 21, at the Barden Funeral Home in Ithaca, with Rev. John Wood officiating.  Interment will follow in Beechler Cemetery.  Visitation will be from10 a.m. Monday until the start of the service.