Richard (Dick) Staunton Howard, M.D., beloved father and grandfather, passed away on Sept. 28, 2021 at age 90. He was born on Sept. 7, 1931 to Bernard F. and Zelma (Hetrick) Howard in Kittanning, Pennsylvania.

Growing up, he was inordinately proud of his paper route and becoming an Eagle Scout. He was graduated from Trinity College, Hartford, CT. He met the love of his life, Nancy, while attending the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. They married on Dec. 23, 1955.

After his internship at the Reading Pennsylvania hospital, he proudly served as a captain in the Air Force as a flight surgeon stationed at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He completed his residency in urology at the University of Virginia—Charlottesville, earning an MS in Surgery – Urology. His thesis centered on experimental bacteriuria, observing the relationship of immunization, chronic bladder neck obstruction, and experimental E. coli pyelonephritis.

In 1966, he, Nancy, and their three children moved to La Crosse where he became the newest member of the urology department at Gundersen Clinic-Lutheran Hospital (now Gundersen Health Systems). He practiced there as a urologic surgeon until his retirement in 1996.

Throughout his life he instilled in his children a love of travel and sports, particularly skiing, swimming, and tennis, and the value of education and hard work as a pathway to success. Dick enjoyed several trips to Europe over the years and had great fun with his golfing buddies trying the various courses across Europe. A particular favorite was St. Andrews, Scotland. He often mentioned how much he loved Vienna, Austria, especially during the Winter Market season and deemed it his favorite city. Dick also loved going to Colorado to ski and to the family summer home on Lake Champlain in Vermont.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 45 years, Nancy, and his parents. He is survived by his children and their spouses, Kimberly (Donald) Schiller, Richard Jr. (Beth), and Claire (Kevin) Low, his grandsons Andrew (Kaetlynn) and Matthew Low and Stuart Howard as well as his sister and brother-in-law Susan and Van Campbell.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Richard S. Howard, MD fund for Advanced Urologic Studies, a fund within the Gundersen Medical Foundation for the support of the advanced urologic education and training.