Howard John Heiden was born July 6, 1920 as the only child of John and Agnes (Brockman) Heiden. Growing up, he lived at the family farm at 8700 South Custer Road.

He attended the one-room Fonia School which was located about a mile or so away at 11411 Trost Road through the 8th grade. Howard graduated from Dundee High School in 1938 and then completed an Agriculture Short Course at Michigan State University.

On February 6, 1943, he married Mildred I. Foster and they lived on a farm in Ridgeway Township, Lenawee County, Michigan. In addition to farming, Howard also worked for Tecumseh Products. They had four children.

Mildred who was born November 14, 1921, passed away on January 18, 1973 and is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Dundee, Michigan. She was 51 years old.

On March 27, 1977, Howard married Barbara M. Steger. They had no children.

On September 24, 2015, he died at the age of 95 in the Cambrian Assisted Living Center in Tecumseh. Howard was also buried at the Maple Grove Cemetery.