Howard James Mooney

Howard James Mooney age 72 of Detroit Lakes, MN passed away peacefully on November 15th, 2025, under the wonderful care of Vivie Hospice and the Pelican Valley Nursing Home.

Howard was born on March 1, 1953, in the “big city” of St. Paul, Minnesota, to Tom and Alice (Oberfoell) Mooney. He attended local Catholic parochial school and graduated from Archbishop Brady High School in 1971. His childhood was spent playing hockey at Wakota Arena and running around with friends and siblings at Lorraine Park in South St. Paul.

Howard studied at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1976 with a B.S. in Forestry, an easy choice for someone who loved trees, conservation, and spending time outdoors. Shortly after graduating, he joined the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in Grand Rapids, MN, where he began “counting trees” as part of forest inventory work.

It was in Grand Rapids that Howard met the love of his life, Eileen Erickson, a woman who shared his love of nature and couldn’t resist the flannel shirt fashion. Their connection sprouted instantly, and they were married in 1980 in Grand Rapids. They began their life together at the Elbow Lake Forestry Station, a remote and beautiful outpost at the heart of northern Minnesota’s vast woodlands. During their six years there, they welcomed their first son, Derek. When the forestry station closed, the family moved to Detroit Lakes, where their second son, Marcus, was born. Eileen and Howard shared 46 wonderful years of marriage together.

Throughout his 38 year long career with the DNR, Howard believed there was no job more rewarding than being a forester: spending each day among the trees and watching the cycles of the woods unfold. Spring brought tree planting and firefighting. Summer brought forest management, swarms of mosquitoes and deer flies. Fall meant brilliant colors, firewood cutting, and steering clear of the woods during hunting season. Winter offered snowshoeing, assisting logging crews, and helping landowners steward their land responsibly. Every season held its own beauty, and Howard embraced each one fully. He also always made time for education and outreach and often partnered with his best friend Smokey the Bear.

Following his retirement, he continued his service to natural resource management by starting his own consulting business, Howard Forestry, helping create landowner stewardship plans and facilitate timber sales.

He was deeply involved in the community, serving with the Detroit Lakes Lions Club, the Knights of Columbus, the DL Youth Hockey Program, the Boy Scouts of America and was a faithful member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Howard coached youth hockey, soccer, and baseball, and supervised hockey referees.

Fishing was always one of his great joys, though he remained loyal to lures even when Eileen insisted worms would work better. Together, the family enjoyed cross-country skiing, long nature hikes, and the cherished tradition of selecting a *real* Christmas tree every year. Though the story of their very first, rather “over-thinned” tree became legend in the family, Eileen did not let him forget it.

Family vacations were always rooted in the outdoors. The Mooney's rarely visited anywhere without a forest to explore, an experimental plot to inspect, or a fire tower to climb. Whether camping in rustic sites without electricity or taking thousands of photos of trees (and more trees), Howard found joy in every leaf, branch, and trail.

Howard is survived by his wife, Eileen; his two sons, Derek (Meghan) and Marcus (Anne); his three grandchildren, Breah, Addison, and Emma; and his two sisters, Lisa (John) O’Brien and Jennifer Mooney.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Tom and Alice Mooney, and his sister, Molly Mooney.

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A visitation will be held on Monday, November 24, from 5-7 p.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Prayer service at 6:30 p.m.Friends and family are welcome to gather and share stories from Howard’s well-lived life among the timber.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 25, at 12 p.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, with visitation one hour prior to services and a lunch to follow. Interment will be in the Oak Grove Cemetery following the lunch.

In lieu of flowers, memorials will be collected and distributed at Howard’s request to the Detroit Lakes Lions Club, The Knights of Columbus and the Becker County Food Pantry.