Howard Licht

Howard Frank Licht, age 76, passed away from kidney cancer on Sunday, August 19, 2018. He was born in Chippewa Falls, WI on April 24, 1942, the oldest son of Norbert Frank Licht and Dorothy Barstow Licht. He lived his early years growing up in the small town of Boyd, WI. He graduated from Cadott High School in 1961 during which he participated in football, basketball and track. Howard arrived in Madison in 1962 seeking employment and attended MATC for land surveying, subsequently going to work for the state highway department. In 1962 he married Heidi Sonja Lieberl, which produced son Todd Anthony in 1964. He worked as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor for Anthony Thousand, Inc. starting in 1966 where he met the love of his life Marilynne Steinbach. They were united in marriage on August 26,1972, which produced their two children, daughter Andrea in 1981 and son Christopher in 1987. Howard also worked for Greg Held & Associates starting in 1974 until retirement in 2007. During his career in land surveying, Howard designed and platted over 40-50 subdivisions in Madison and surrounding towns that had significant impact on area development. He served as chairman of the Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors Education Committee and for the year 1997, served as president of the Society. From 2007-2010 he served on the Town of Middleton Plan Commission and as a Town Board Supervisor. During that time he helped the town develop its Comprehensive Development Plan.

His life interests over the years included golfing, bowling, poker and investment clubs, motorcycling, gardening, traveling, living the motorhome lifestyle, spending winters in Florida, woodworking, fishing, hunting and cabin time up north with his brothers. One of Howard's favorite places was at Lake Chippewa Flowage where for over 17 years he camped with family, enjoying fresh walleye for breakfast, nightly campfires, telling stories, and tracking satellites across the night sky. Howard and his wife Marilynne had 29 years of traveling in their motorhome which included cross-country trips caravanning with family, trips alone and with friends made along the way, winters in a Florida RV park, and September month long trips in Canada to visit family. They thoroughly cherished their freedom on the open road, meeting new people, seeing new sights, enjoying the Florida lifestyle with dear friends, daily 4pm patio parties and whatever "trouble" Howard and his buddies could get into.
He also cherished over 40 years at the cabin with his brothers, nieces and nephews building their own special rural retreat, deer hunting, sitting around the campfire, playing cards at the kitchen table, and engaging in crazy shenanigans together. Howard was a handyman's handyman, his talent could create, build, and fix anything requested or needed.

Survivors include his wife, Marilynne, daughter, Andrea (Robert) Cortez and son Ethan, Sebastian, FL; son, Christopher (Gaby), Middleton, WI; son, Anthony Todd Wedin (Amber) and children, Abriana, Devin, and Cassandra, Tualatin, OR. He is also survived by brothers, Joseph (Mary Ann), Clifford (Sally), John (Vicki), Ted (Sandy), Steven (Jeanine), sisters, Pamela (Gary) Dorn, Priscilla (Don) Daniels; sisters-in-law, Carol Licht and Ellyn (Joe) Hertel, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He is also survived by many dear long-time Madison friends, and close special Florida RV park friends from all over the U.S. He is further survived by five grand-dogs he loved dearly Maggie, Jade, Pepper, Kyra and Sugar.

Howard was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, Joseph and Magdelena (Ryba) Licht, and Ralph and Mary Barstow, sister, Patricia, brother Richard, and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. at Cress Funeral Home, 6021 University Ave., Madison, WI. Memorials may be directed in Howard's name to Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors Foundation (WSLS Foundation), c/o Francis Thousand, Executive Director, 5113 Spaanem Ave., Madison, WI 53716; the American Diabetes Association (Diabetes.org), or Agrace Hospice, 5395 E. Cheryl Pkwy, Madison, 53711 (Agrace.org).

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Cress Center
6021 University Ave.
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 238-8406