A century of experience: Howard Rieckers celebrates his 101st birthday

Howard Rieckers has seen a lot in the past 101 years. He grew up on a farm near Addy, Washington. He raised two children and worked hard to support his family. He served in the Marines in the Pacific during World War II. He also spent many years living in Colville.

Rieckers celebrated his milestone birthday, which was on Sunday, at a party hosted by The Gardens on University, where he has been a resident for the past year. Rieckers presided over the gathering from his wheelchair where he sat eating cake and visiting with well-wishers.

Rieckers graduated from Chewelah High School where he was on the football team. He married Elizabeth Johnson and the couple had two daughters, Saundra and Sharron.

When he was drafted to serve in World War II, he wasn’t able to pick which branch he’d serve in, said his daughter, Sharron Looney.

“He said he wanted to go into the Navy, but the guy picking said he was going to be in the Marines,” she said.

Rieckers said he served for four years in the Pacific, including Guam and Iwo Jima. It’s something he remembers well to this day.

He remembers battles in which members of his unit died and he remembers taking Japanese prisoners.

“I had quite a few experiences there,” he said.

When he came home, he worked hard to support his family, Looney said.

“He did many things,” she said. “He was a logger, a truck driver. For many years, he was a surveyor for Stevens County. He taught himself how to do that.”

He recalls working for Stevens County for 12 years and said he also liked working outdoors.

“I loved working in the woods,” he said. “My dad was a logger. He taught me about forestry.”

He also got up early every Sunday morning when there was snow and made sure the sidewalks outside his church, the Church of God in Colville, were shoveled.

“I was raised that way,” he said. “I thought at one time that I might want to be a preacher, but I had other things to do.”

He was active in the Grange for many years and managed the Colville Fair for several years. He was a longtime member of his Colville church where he played in the band, Looney said.

“He used to play the guitar and the mandolin in his younger years,” she said.

Her father was also laid-back and easygoing, she said.

“I don’t think I ever saw Dad mad,” she said. “He was just a friend to everyone.”

After 25 years of marriage, he and his wife divorced. In 1967, he married his second wife, Carol. The two were married for 52 years before she died in 2020.

Mark Luhnow, who leads a Bible study group that Rieckers used to attend, said he is impressed by his faith and kindness.

“He was so patient with Carol,” he said. “She couldn’t see anymore and she couldn’t hear anymore.”

Sometimes Rieckers had questions, but his faith was strong, Luhnow said.

“He’s been a good example for me,” he said.

Rieckers said he was a little surprised to be turning 101.

“What I miss most is my wife,” he said. “She always got me out of trouble.

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