Howard Spillers

Spillers, Howard 5/21/1949 - 6/11/2021 Crystal Lake, IL Howard Dean Spillers, 72, of Crystal Lake passed away June 11, 2021, of natural causes. Howard had many passions in his life. In high school and college, Howard was an award-winning trumpet player and continued to play throughout his life, and excelled at baseball as a pitcher. He attended the aviation program at Western Michigan University and graduated in 1971. He worked as a corporate piloe and flew for a few commuter airlines before landing his big break as a pilot for American Airlines from 1985 until 2011 when he retired with Captain. He traveled through his work to many places and gave interesting accounts of time spent in many countries. Survivors include his daughter, Alison; sisters, Lynn Crandall (Michael), Carol Scott, and Mari Kern (Allan), as well as, his nieces, Michelle DiConcilio, Gwen (Chris) Smith and Dawn (Bret) Bradbury; nephews, David Spillers, James Kurtz (Kim), Daniel Kurtz (Cara), and Andrew Kurtz (Abby); and grandniece, Hope Kurtz and grandnephew Kendrick DiConcilio. Howard was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Ann, on June 16, 2012. A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, June 18th, from 4pm until the time of a service at 6:30pm at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory, 419 E. Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake. He loved his family and friends, who will miss his kind and gentle manner and enthusiasm for life. Davenport Funeral Home, 419 E Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 https://www.davenportfamily.com/