Howard Andrew Sliker

Howard Andrew Sliker, age 95, passed away at his home in Sylvania, Ohio, ­­­on March  13 , 2023.  He was born on April 7, 1927, in Dundee, Michigan, the only son of Alred and Esther (Neuroth) Sliker. Howard graduated from Blissfield High School in 1944.  He graduated from Coyne Electrical School in Chicago in 1945.  He attended Michigan State University & University of Toledo – Real Estate Law.  He served in the US Army during WWII. On March 22, 2002, he married Sandra Cotton in Georgetown, Exuma, The Bahamas. In high school, he drove truck part time delivering coal to homes and schools.  He also delivered bulk ice to other locations including Lyons, OH and to the two German POW camps in Blissfield.  Then he drove truck delivering Jeeps to Florida.  Later, he was on the Berkey Fire Department for 15 years and was Captain for 5 years.  Howard was elected Constable of Riga Township for at least 8 years.  Howard was chairman of the Riga Township Zoning Commission.  He was a bulldozing contractor with 4 bulldozers which cleared out hundreds of acres of woods and fence rows.  He was also World Champion Tractor Pulling contest winner back in the 50’s & 60’s.   He rebuilt the Howard Rotavator making improvements.  He was the first farmer in the area to have a grain drying system and modern farm techniques including the minimum tillage planting system. This led him to be chosen in the first group of Michigan farmers by The Kellogg Foundation to travel around the world to study economic and social problems of developing countries.  He was a member of the elite Kellogg Farmers Group for over 60 years.  He served on the Blissfield School Board for about 12 years and was Board Secretary for 8 years.   For 60 years, he sold real estate and was the broker of Howard Sliker Realty in Michigan and Ohio.   He was “Michigan Realtor of the Year” in 1975.   Howard was once President, Secretary, and Director of the Lenawee County Board of Realtors.   Howard was a member of the Blissfield Rotary Club for about 50 years and a Paul Harris Fellow.  He was Past President of his Florida Condo Association.  He built many homes in the Blissfield area including developing Blissfield Heights.  Howard instigated the purchase of the wooden pedestrian bridge over the River Raisin connecting two parks in Blissfield.  His son Glenn built the bridge. His greatest joy was sailing.  He owned a sailboat on Lake Erie and one in Florida that he sailed to The Bahamas every winter for 40 years.  He loved “discovering” may of the uninhabited islands.  He was teased as being reincarnated and a member of Christopher Columbus’s crew because he knew so much about the islands. Howard rode motorcycles ever since he was young.  The bigger and faster the better.  Several times he rode at “Rolling Thunder, Ride to the Wall” in Washington D.C. and on the MIS track. NASCAR was his favorite entertainment which started in the 1950’s when he would watch races on the beach at Daytona Beach and Toledo Speedway. Kyle Busch was his favorite driver. He was very talented at fixing anything with cars, plumbing, electrical or construction. Inventing something useful was always on his mind.

In addition to his wife, Sandra, Howard is survived by his two daughters, Ruth (Marvin) Nine of Blissfield and Irene (Karl) Keefer of Sylvania; a sister, Catherine Beach; daughter-in-law, Helen Hornung; 3 stepchildren, 6 grandchildren, 6 step grand-children, 9 great-grandchildren, 10 step great-grandchildren and 2 step great-great-grandsons; and many nieces and nephews. Howard was preceded in death by his parents; Gladys (Dyal), his first wife and the mother of his children; sisters, Ella May Sliker, Alma Loar, and  Margaret Marion; and 2 sons, Howard Glenn and Benjamin Sliker; and 1 great-grand-daughter, Ginger Gray. 

Friends may call at the Reeb Funeral Home, Sylvania, Friday March 17, 2023, from 11:00 A.M. until the funeral ceremony begins at 1:00 P.M. with military honors. Those wishing to offer memorials are asked  to consider the Blissfield Rotary or the charity of their choice.  Online condolences to reebfuneralhome.com                                                                                            

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