Obituary of Charles C. Howard

Carter-Ricks Funeral Homes Phone 573-898-2181 / Fax 573-898-3148 Newspaper Notice of Death Charles Cannon "Tot" Howard Funeral services for Charles Cannon "Tot" Howard of Elsberry, MO were held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 25, 2005 at Elsberry First Baptist Church in Elsberry. Rev. Doug McGlaughlin, Rev. Conrad Cheatham and Rev. Jeff Fernberg officiated with burial in Elsberry City Cemetery in Elsberry. Serving as pallbearers were Johnny Howard, Tom Howard, Kevin Howard, Matt Jones, Ron Tautphaeus, Hank Moyers and Brad Gresham; and honorary pallbearers were Greg Sherman, Brent Sherman and Paul Brinkerhoff. Mr. Howard, 83, died Friday night, October 21, 2005 at Lincoln County Memorial Hospital in Troy, MO. Born December 13, 1921 in Elsberry, MO, he was the son of Thomas Cannon "Tooter" and Mary Lucy Cannon Howard. A lifelong resident of rural Elsberry, he was a 1939 graduate of Elsberry High School. He attended Westminster College in Fulton, MO for one year and the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO for a year before enlisting in the U.S. Navy on September 24, 1942. He served his country during World War II as a Navy Pilot, was commissioned as an officer on October 25, 1944, and was honorably discharged November 30, 1946. He was united in marriage on November 4, 1944 while on leave in Elsberry to Martha Virginia Reid. This union was blessed with two daughters, Charla and Brenda. After 27 years of marriage, he was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Howard on April 8, 1972. He was a long-time member of the Elsberry First Baptist Church. He was raised on his family's farm and continued farming throughout his lifetime. Mr. Howard was married again on June 11, 1977 in Elsberry to Carol June (nee Nichols) Sherman. He was very active in his county and community, serving on the Lincoln County Memorial Hospital Board for over 25 years, and the Lincoln County R-2 School Board in Elsberry for over 20 years. He was a 50+ year member of the New Hope Masonic Lodge #199 AF&AM in Elsberry; and the Scottish Rite, Valley of St. Louis. He was a former member and President of the Lincoln County Farm Bureau. Mr. Howard actively attended the Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church near Elsberry with his wife, June, for many years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas "Tooter" and Mary Lucy Howard; and his beloved wife of 27 years, Virginia Howard. Survivors include his loving wife of 28 years, June Howard of Elsberry; two daughters: Charla Jones and her husband, Harry, of Troy, MO, and Brenda Schauer and her husband, John, of Olathe, KS; two step-sons: Greg Sherman and Brent Sherman, both of Elsberry; one step-daughter, Joy Brinkerhoff and her husband, Paul, of Columbia, MO; three grandchildren: Matt Jones and his wife, Melissa, Katie "Jones" Tautphaeus and her husband, Ron, and Emily "Schauer" Moyers and her husband, Hank; four step-grandchildren and four great-grandchildren: Morgan & Cooper Jones and Avery & Brenley Tautphaeus. He also leaves two brothers: W.O. "Bob" Howard and his wife, Jane, of Elsberry, and John R. Howard and his wife, Mary Lynn, of O'Fallon, MO; one sister, Molly Duncan of Kirkwood, MO; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Visitation was held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Monday, October 24, 2005 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. A Masonic Memorial Service was held during the visitation at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the Lincoln County Medical Center or AmHeart Hospice in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South Fifth Street, Elsberry, MO 63343.