Traditional Christmas Train.  Howard with his two sons - Dr. John Cheney (foreground) and William - still a musician at the time.

Howard & Anne - long retired - Calimesa, CA.

Howard M. Cheney

Mom & Dad - The Early Years

February 24, 1911 -  July 20, 2004 

Howard at 2 years old.

Howard M. Cheney was born in Chicago, Illinois.  His father was Arthur H. Cheney and his mother was Frances Cheney (maiden name Schnitker).  He married Anne E. Cheney (maiden name Anderson) and had two children, John H. Cheney, Ph.D and William M. Cheney, Esq.

Howard Served in the U.S. Army during W.W. II and achieved the rank of Major before being honorably discharged from the service.  Howard and Anne eventually moved from Chicago to California. Howard was a door to door salesman for a period of time and eventually became a real estate broker.  He first worked for Beckwith Realty and then opened his own office Cheney Realty, in Arcadia, California.  Howard went from the real estate business to work for Title Insurance and Trust Company in Los Angeles.  Howard and family eventually moved to Claremont, California where Howard was a Trust Officer for Bank of America (Pomona Branch).  Howard retired after working many years at Bank of America.  After retiring Howard and Anne moved to Yucaipa and then Calimesa, California.  Major Howard Monroe Cheney is interned at the Riverside Memorial Cemetery (SECTION BA ROW B SITE 262) in Riverside, CA.

I was very lucky to have Howard as a father.  He taught me a lot about the way to live and conduct my life.  We disagreed about some things... but my Dad was as honest as any man I've ever known.  He put a premium on hard work, fairness and honesty.  He gave me everything I ever needed (though not necessarily everything I always wanted).  He was the Dad that made his young son go back into the grocery store and give the clerk back the dollar she undercharged for the groceries we bought.  ("Billy, she might have that taken out of her pay... it's not right to keep this money.")  He is the Dad that would not purchase me a car ("you'll have to find a way to work and pay for your own car").  And when I went to law school in my late 40s... he was the Dad that insisted on paying the entire cost of law school.  ("Your Mom and I decided we'd like help you out while we're still alive to see the results.")  I was fortunate enough to be able to be sworn in as an attorney at my Mom and Dad's house on a wonderful Thanksgiving afternoon.  My Dad was over 90 years old at the time.  (And still exercising every day.)

My Dad loved me and gave me every tool I would ever need to enable me to be successful in life.  I sincerely hope I've done some things with my life that would make me worthy of having such a great Dad.