Howard was born in Bloomsburg, PA to Thornly Booth and Myra Freestone on March 15, 1927. He grew up in Manasquan, NJ near the shore. He joined the Army in 1945 and served in Italy at the end of WWII.

Upon his return he enrolled at RPI and continued his studies and earned his degree in Meteorology. As Air Force reservist he was called to duty in the Korean War.

He came to Nevada in 1957 and was employed as meteorologist at the Nevada Test Site by NOAA/National Weather Service until retirement in 1982.

His appreciation for Nevada grew over the years as he discovered and explored the desert, mountains and public lands nearby and across the borders.  A passion for the outdoors molded him into an ardent conservationist and determined fighter for public lands and wilderness.  The love for hiking, climbing, exploring, river running and volunteering attracted young and like-minded souls to follow in his footsteps, and this created a movement to defend Red Rock Canyon against development and exploitation until it was finally declared a Conservation Area.

In 1989 on a volunteer service trip for the BLM Howard met his future wife Ursula.  They moved to Boulder City in 1993; the effort and work for wilderness and many other causes was now shared.   Overseas trips followed and were admirably documented by Howard’s skill as photographer.

In July this year Howard fell ill in Alaska. He was hospitalized and eventually made it back to Las Vegas and St. Rose de Lima and Kindred Hospital. He saw many of his good friends and died peacefully on August 16, 2017.

He is survived by his wife Ursula Wilson-Booth and Ursula's children Hans and Sonya Wilson, also his nieces Elena Booth and husband Dave Gillespie, of Providence, R.I. and Susan Rapp of Canterbury, Conn.

Howard will be cremated and his ashes interred at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, NV on October 5, 2017 at 10 a.m.

After the interment you are invited to stay for a light lunch and a social gathering at the FORGE Social House at 533 California Ave. Boulder City, 89005

Please RSVP for gathering here: https://goo.gl/forms/b39L35qjRV1P8D4F2

In lieu of flowers tax deductible donations may be made out to:

Sierra Club Foundation with Las Vegas ICO written in the memo line,

mail to: 

Las Vegas ICO, Sierra Club Office

3800 Meadows Lane

Las Vegas, NV 89107

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