Goodbye

[Tensleep]

My heart is heavy, my pony's head is hangin' low as slowly we ride down the trail.

Things happen that are unexpected but the gather goes on.
We lost a few head here and there, had some troubles time to time.
Through it all we laughed and played. In the evening we sang "Yippe Ki Yi Yo."

Now a hoss has stumbled an' ah pard went down never to ride again.
He did his best, he was a top hand an' well respected, loved by all.
This evenin' we will sing, "Angels could do no more................."


Goodbye Mike.

[Arcey]

Bro, I can't say 'goodbye'.  Gonna have to be 'til we meet again'.

Twix now 'n then it's gonna be a long, hard miss.

[Lucky Irish Tom]

Yep we'll see him again thats fer sure, but it gonna be a tough trail between here and there!

[Advertising]

[Wymore Wrangler]

Sorry about your pardner there my friends...

[Querida Kate]

With heavy heart I offer my condolences to the family & friends.

May the angels of the Lord look over all.

[Marshal'ette Halloway]

I send you thoughts that are filled with healing and remembrances of the memories that make
Mike the person that he was...and still is.

 The differences of life on earth and life in spirit is but a thin veil of dimension.
 You will once again someday, laugh and share old and new experiences with your pard.

May the angels watch over you all and his family until that times comes.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

My thoughts are with you all. It isn't easy to loose a good pard.

[Arcey]

Mike Howlett
SASS alias, Virginia Wild Man
To family 'n friends, Whyle Chyle

No one ever had an alias that fit him or her better.

September 23, 1954 - October 24, 2005

Rest in peace, mi amigo.

[Marshal harpoluke]

 

RIP.

[Stump Water]

In this picture and the one Arcey posted you see the Wild Man being timed.  Well folks, for the Wild Man there was no timer, there was only a beeper.  The beep meant he could commence shootin' and layin' down smoke in great clouds.  That's all that mattered.  The man could have more fun on one stage than some folks can in a two-day match.

Fare well Wild Man.  Fare well...

[Arcey]

LOL!!!!

Stump, I needed that! And the comment was spot on accurate.

The last thing a shotgun target wanted ta do was piss 'im off.  The damned things that was dumb 'nuff to stay standin' after he shot at it with his muley would draw both barrels from the hip.  90% of the time he'd get it too.

[Lucky Irish Tom]

I still remember the time they had 8 shotgun knockdowns and Mike deliberately used both barrels on everyone of them.  Smoke didn't clear for a week!

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Sorry, folks, I'm not yet ready to laugh.

Awww... dammit!!


Dammit dammit dammit!!

AnnieLee, fan and friend of Mike's

[Derby Younger]

My condolences to his family and to those who mourn the loss of a friend.

[Arcey]

C'mon, Annie.  Chyle wouldn't want that.  He wanted folks ta laff as hard as he did.

Tom.  We stopped it the Parish Grocery at Gum Spring on the way back ta duh beach for a potty stop 'n some coffee.  We wuz standin' where they put the picnic tables stretchin' our legs 'n burnin' one er two 'fore we headed back out on the road.  He stripped off 'is shirt 'n his shoulder was black 'n blue.  Could see 'e was hurtin'.  Said something like he shouldn't ah done it but seemed to be the thing to do at the time.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Aw, heck, Arcey, it'd been a whole five minutes since I found out, ok?

He'd look at me, then grin. I never had to do anything to instigate him, but he knew how to get me going. I'd look at him and he'd grin.

"What're you up to this time, Whyle Chyle?"

His grin would broaden. Sometimes he'd tell me about how he was gonna pull both triggers of his shotgun at the same time. Sometimes he'd tell me he'd be shooting from the hip. Sometimes he wouldn't tell me at all, he'd make me wait and see.

And sometimes he'd lean in and whisper in my ear:
"Kill 'em all."

His hoot and hollar could be heard across the range.

His laugh was infectious and every moment with him was joy.

This loving I have for my friend, for our friend, isn't gonna stop. Even when he was wrung out, too tired to barely walk, even when he was hurting, he had that element of joy that was undiminished.

Aye, it's gonna be a long, hard miss.

AnnieLee

[Lawful Larry]

Mike was a stand up guy and straight shooter.  He was a guy I called friend.  I will miss him and those damned black powder smoke machines of his. 

Today I have a heavy and sad heart.     

May god bless his soul.     

[Trapdoor Billy]

Mike was one hell of a man.  It was a pleasure getting to know him, too bad the ride was so short.  See ya Mike, till we meet again cowboy!

[Marshal'ette Halloway]

Mike had a lot of friends it seems.
More posts on the Dixie cowgirl forum.........,

http://www.dixiecowgirls.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=86

[Danny Bear Claw]

For Mike...

We give them back to You, O God
who gave them first as a gift to us.
Yet just as You did not lose them
in their living among us here,
so we do not lose them
in their going home to You.

Comfort us Risen Lord, as we mourn.
Deepen our faith and hope to believe that
life is eternal, and love is forever,
and death is only a horizon -
and a horizon is simply the present
limit of our ability to see and understand.

Lift us up, compassionate Son of God,
that we may see further.
Give light to our eyes, O Radiant Christ,
that we may see more clearly.
Draw us closer to You, Gentle Jesus, so
in our hearts we know that one day we will
be reunited with our cherished loved ones
who, we pray, are home with you in heaven.

Amen.