HowardHoff(akaLuverneT.Smoothdog)diedApril14,2012attheendofa
greatdayofHarleyridingwithsomeofhisclosestfriends.Ifhehadn’tbeensoparticularabouthisiron,hemaynothavetriedtorideitoutthroughtheditchafterhedidn’tnavigateacornercomingoutofCulbertson.
He was born on March 4, 1955 in the Miles City Hospital to Baker parents
EugeneandLoraMargaret(Zook)Hoff.Themiddlechildof7,Howardwasatypical
boytormentinghissistersandyoungerbrothers.Whowouldhaveimaginedhimto
bethetiethatbinds.
High school was football, wrestling, breaking bones, fast cars and motorcycles.Helovedanythingthatwentfastandalwaystriedtopushthelimit.Hewreckeda
fewcarsandbikesbutalwaysgotrightbacktoit.
HowardandDiannabeganafterhepickedheruponthestreetinfrontofthe
bowlingalleyinBaker.Theymarriedinearly1975surroundedbyfriendsandfamily.
Fromdancing,cars,motorcycles,familytoworkandplay,theywerealwaystogether.
Nickwasthe irstborn(10-6-75)followedbyBill2yearslater(7-7-77).Howardwas
thrilledtobeafather.Hecouldn’twaitlongenoughtostartteachinghisboysabout
carsandenginesandallthethingsfatherslovetoteachtheirsons.Bothboyswere
bornwithdirtyhandsandmakingcarnoises.Nodoubttheyweretheirfathers’sons.
Hisfamilywas irstaboveallelseandhiscareandcompassionshowsthroughinhis
children.Howardwasacaregiver,alwaysmakingsureeveryonewashappyandcomfortable.Hisfavoritethingwastojustsitandtalkwithhisfamilyandfriends.
Howardstartedintheoil ieldrightoutofhighschool.WesternOilwellServicebroughthimthroughtheranksandtaughthimthemajorityofwhatheneededto
bring him tohis present level of expertise (whether he was the hard taskmaster or
assholeboss,heneverexpectedanyonetodoanythingthathehadn’torwouldn’tdo
himself. Even thoughtheoil ield, fromworking andtool pushing workover rigs to
teachingtheRussianstorunworkoverrigsfromconsultingtoProductionsupervisor,
was a huge part of Howard’s career, there were the times that the oil ield let him
down.(BoomandBust…BoomandBust).Duringthosedowntimesinthe ieldhedid
whatever he had to do to support his family. From sweeping up loose sugar at the
Holly Sugar Factory to driving big rigs all over the country with Dianna as his codriver. The boys were grown and working themselves so on the road they went. It
wasonlyayearofdrivingtruckbeforehecouldn’tstanditanymore.Allthetraveling
andsightseeingwastheparttheylovedthemost,butthelackofoil ieldpayandhaving to watch everyone else drive by with they’re toys in tow were enough to bring
themhomeandbacktothe ield.Thepetsandourgreatfriendsandfamilywelcomed
ushomeandbacktotheoil ieldhewent.Heworkedhardtolivebutdidnotliveto
work.
Thecarshows,NASCARraces,anythingmotorrelatedhelovedbutitwasthe
peopleknownornewlymetthatmadehisday.Helovedgettingtogetherwithfriends
tellingstories-laughing-‘cipheringand iguringoutwhatthenextbigtripwasgoingto
be. He was never afraid toask for help but he was alsothe irstone to offer helpto
anyonethatneededit.
Hisprideandjoywerehissons.HeandNickwereintheprocessofrestoring
hisbeloved55BelAir2doorhardtopChevrolet,thatDiannaboughtforhimbefore
theywereevenmarried.HewassoproudofBillfortheworkheisdoingintheNavy
helping his guys as a corpsman. He was so looking forward to thebirth of Bill and
Angie’sbabyinSeptember,our irstGrandsonandNick’sweddingtoKellyinOctober.
Hewillmisssomuchbutwillbemissedevenmore.Helovedhistwonewdaughters
somuchandtheyhim.
Wecryforourselvesandthepeoplewhoknewhim,butalsoforthepeople
whowillneverhavethegreatpleasure.Heneverbelieveditbutheimpactedsomany
people’slivesthathehasleftahugegapingholeinthisworld.Weareallsoblessedto
havesharedinthelaughter,stories,goodtimesandgreatadventures.
Surviving him are: his wife, Dianna, Sidney, MT; his two sons, Nicholas
“Nick”(Fiancé -KellyDumond),Sidney,MTandWilliam“Bill”(Angie)andtheirdaughter,Sarah,Oceanside,CA;hisbrothers,Reg(Lana),Forsyth,MT,Tom(Colleen),BrokenBow,NE,Fred(Ann),Baker,MT,andPaul(Marcie),MilesCity,MT;hissisters,Peg
(Bob)Justesen,Helena,MTandKayHoff,Missoula,MT.
Hewasprecededindeathbyhisparents.
In Loving Memory Howard Hoff aka Luverne T. Smoothdog Our Father, who is in HeavenHOWARD be thy name
Howard Hoff
(aka Luverne T. Smoothdog) Born
March 4, 1955
Miles City, Montana
Died
April 14, 2012
Culbertson, Montana
Services
He is just away!
With a cheery smile
and a wave of the hand
He has ridden into
an unknown land.
2:00 p.m., Thursday, April 19, 2012
Event Center
Richland County Fairgrounds
Sidney, Montana
Officiating
Scott Geis
Music
“Are you sure Hank done it this way”
“Time in a Bottle”
“Roll me Away”
Casketbearers
Rolf Jacobson
Keith Oyloe
John Seitz Randy Brunsvold
Raleigh Peck
Ron Wirth
Ushers
Brady Mueller Derek “Norm” Schieffer Boyd Candee
Brian Candee Carrie (Oyloe) Edwards Keela Huotari
Lunch will be served at the Event Center
following services
Interment
We will gathering at the funeral home one
hour before the graveside service
2:00 p.m., Friday, April 20, 2012
Sidney Cemetery Sidney, Montana
You may share your remembrances and condolences with
the family at the Fulkerson Funeral Home website
www.fulkersons.com