Obituary of W. O. Bob Howard

William O. "Bob" Howard Funeral Services for former State Representative William Otto "W.O. Bob" Howard of Elsberry, MO will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, November 16, 2006 at the First Baptist Church in Elsberry. Rev. Conrad Cheatham, pastor of the Elsberry A.R. Presbyterian Church and Rev. Jeff Fernberg, pastor of the Elsberry First Baptist Church, will officiate with burial in Elsberry City Cemetery near Elsberry. Serving as pallbearers will be Allen "Shorty" Siders, Harry Jones, Matt Jones, Johnny Howard, Andrew Howard, Paul Keeven, Tom Howard and Kevin Howard. Honorary pallbearers will be Sammy Mayes, Bill Burke, Warren Clark, Frank Mackey, Sid Frisch, Beth Howard, Allison Howard, Lauren Howard and Erin Howard Keeven. Rep. Howard, 83, died Monday morning, November 13, 2006 at the Elsberry Healthcare Center near Elsberry. Born April 3, 1923 in rural Elsberry, he was the son of Thomas Cannon "Tutor" and Mary Lucy Cannon Howard. Raised in the Elsberry community, he was a 1941 graduate of Elsberry High School. He attended the University of Missouri at Columbia, where he studied agriculture. He was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. He was united in marriage on June 5, 1948 in Clarksville, MO to Jane Willis Hunter. This union was blessed with two sons, Robert Thomas and William Kevin. Rep. Howard was a farmer in northeastern Lincoln County most of his life, and was a member of the Lincoln County Farm Bureau. He was elected to the State Legislature as Representative of the 16th District for three terms from 1972 until 1978; and after redistricting he was elected to three terms as Representative of the 49th District from 1984 until 1990. He served as a member of many Legislative Committees, and was Chairman of the Ethics Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Agriculture Committee. He was a member of the Lincoln County Democratic Club. Rep. Howard was a lifelong member of the Elsberry First Baptist Church. Active in his community, he was a former member of the Elsberry Chamber of Commerce, the Elsberry Kiwanis Club and the Lincoln County Wildlife Club. He was currently a 50-year member of the New Hope Masonic Lodge #199 AF&AM in Elsberry. He was also a member of the Fraternal Order of the Benevolent & Protective Order of the Elks. He was preceded in death by his parents, T. C. "Tutor" and Mary Lucy Howard; and one brother, Charles Cannon "Tot" Howard. Survivors include his beloved wife of 58 years, Jane Howard of Elsberry; two sons: Robert Thomas "Tom" Howard and his wife, Jean, of Auxvasse, MO, and Wm. Kevin Howard and his wife, Elaine, of Elsberry; five grandchildren: Beth Howard, Allison Howard, Lauren Howard, Andrew Howard, and Erin Howard Keeven and her husband, Paul. He also leaves one brother, John R. Howard and his wife, Mary Lynn, of O'Fallon, MO; one sister, Molly Duncan of Kirkwood, MO; one sister-in-law, June Howard of Elsberry; several nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 15, 2006 at the First Baptist Church in Elsberry, and from 9:00 a.m. until time of the service at 11:00 a.m. Thursday at the church. A Masonic Memorial Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday during the visitation. Memorials may be made to the Palmer Memorial Library or to the American Diabetes Association in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South Fifth Street, Elsberry, MO 63343.