Hillard Hays Howard

Hillard Hays Howard, 72, died June 30, 2015 at the Heart of the Rockies Medical Center in Salida Colorado. Hillard was born to Harold French and Ruth Bugg Howard on March 19,1943 in Stuttgart Arkansas. Hillard was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Lynn. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Cheryll Faust.
Hillard received a Bachelor of Science in Physics from UNM and a PhD in Physics from Vanderbilt University. He began his career as a liaison between LASL and the international users group for LAMPF and he worked to bring a UNM branch campus to the town of Los Alamos. Hillard worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory from 1972 until his retirement in 2003. His career included work in medium energy particle physics at LAMPF, radiological risk analysis and safety assessment, and management. He was instrumental in bringing an institutionally supported employee wellness program to the Laboratory. Hillard retired in 2003 after more than 30 years at the Laboratory. In 2006, Hillard and Cheryll moved to Salida, Colorado.
Hillard was an ice skater and an avid bicyclist. He was a graceful, beautiful, alpine skier. Later in life, he took up telemark skiing and quickly became a graceful, beautiful, telemark skier. He loved to share his passion for the sport, and worked with Pajarito to start a telemark festival, the Telebration.
Hillard took to retirement with enthusiasm. He volunteered as a site steward for Santa Fe National forest and at the Valles Caldera National monument. Hillard took great pleasure in fly-fishing, flying kites, mountaineering, and backpacking. He loved trains, opera, live music, theater, physics, and good chocolate. He reveled in a lively conversation. Hillard often said his proudest accomplishment was the collection of people he was privileged to call friends. Hillard loved life and lived well.
Hillard faced a series of challenging health issues in the last several years of his life, then ultimately pancreatic cancer. A Celebration of Life will be held May 21, 2016, 5 to 8pm, at Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Friends are invited to come and encouraged to share memories and stories. For more information, please visit the CaringBridge website: www.caringbridge.org/visit/hillardhoward.