Colonel Howa rd D. Rant, United States Air Force retired, of San Antonio and Port Aransas, died Monday, Aug. 10, 2009 at the age of 92.

Rant was born on Sept. 1, 1916, in Dallas. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and attended college in Arlington for a short time before joining the U.S. Army Air Force in 1940.

In 1942 he married Marie Pickens.

He served in England during World War II, and remained in the Air Force until 1948. He then worked for the War Assets Administration until he was recalled to active duty during the Korean War.

He remained on active duty as an agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, stationed in Dallas, Midwest City, Okla., and Japan, where he served as Deputy District Commander. He was posted to OSI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., until retiring in 1965. He then moved with his family to San Antonio, where he worked in civil service at Lackland AFB, retiring again in 1983.

During his retirement he traveled to every state in the U.S., and to England.

Rant was preceded in death by his wife and a daughter, Patricia E. Rant of Austin.

He is survived by two sons; Howard D. (Becky) Rant, of Warrenton, Va., and James E. Rant of San Antonio; a daughter, Marianna (Mike) Kiesel of San Antonio; a niece, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Rant was buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio on Thursday, Aug. 13.