HAROLD E. HOWARD
Harold Edward Howard, 84, of 203 Acorn Road, died Tuesday at Wayne Memorial Hospital.
He was a native of Pine Bluff, Ark., and was the son of the late Edward Albert Howard and Rosa Leona West Howard. He served in the Army Air Corps in World War II as a flying gunnery instructor and flew combat missions in the China-Burma Theater. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1967 as a lieutenant colonel, after 25 years of service and tours of duty in England, at the Pentagon, at the Command and Staff School in Montgomery, Ala., and Seymour Johnson A.F.B. with the 19th Air Force.
Col. Howard received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Maryland in 1959 and a master's degree in education from East Carolina University in 1972. He began the Junior Air Force ROTC Program at Southern Wayne High School and served as its first commander. He then accepted a position as assistant principal at Eastern Wayne High School and later became principal at Belfast Elementary, Nahunta, and the Extended Day School.
Col. Howard was a founding member, former president and editor of the Gold Wayne Writer's Guild. In 1985 he was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor James G. Martin.
He is survived by his wife, Merrilynn Howard; three daughters, Sherry Barton of Columbia, Mo., Carol Diane Harris of Charlotte and Karen Abourjilie of Greensboro; and his grandchildren, Brett Barton, Amaris Barton and Jaira Barton of Columbia, Mo., Elise Deeble of Overland Park, Kan., Todd Harris and Courtney Harris of Charlotte, Erin Harris of Raleigh, Jordan Abourjilie, Cole Abourjilie and Austin Abourjilie of Greensboro; three great-grandchildren; one brother, Roy Howard; and one sister, Aline Crowder.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Lawrence and Robert Howard; and one sister, Jane Windham.
The family will receive friends at Seymour Funeral Home from 2 until 4 p.m. on Friday.
A private service will be held at the family's lake home in Clarksville, Va.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Education Foundation of Wayne County Public Schools for "Read to Succeed," 2001 E. Royall Ave., Goldsboro, N.C., 27534.
To honor his memory, Col. Howard's family asks that we live life as he did -- with honor, integrity and character.
(Written & Paid by the Family)
Published in Obituaries on January 27, 2005 1:50 PM