HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The 76th Legislature of the State of Texas joins the
1-2 citizens of the City of Austin, Bowie County, and the entire State
1-3 of Texas in mourning the loss of one of the most respected members
1-4 of the Texas Legislature, Ed Howard, who died on July 2, 1998; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on April 13, 1937,
1-6 the son of Ruth and V. E. Howard, Ed Howard was known throughout
1-7 his life as a man of the most unimpeachable honor; and
1-8 WHEREAS, Ed Howard's interest in politics was sparked when he
1-9 was a student at Greenville High School, where he was a student
1-10 government leader and a star basketball player; he was also
1-11 involved in student government and basketball while attending
1-12 Abilene Christian University; and
1-13 WHEREAS, After graduating with a business degree in 1959, he
1-14 studied municipal administration at Texas Southern University; and
1-15 WHEREAS, Shortly after his marriage to Jo Ann Jay in 1960,
1-16 the young couple moved to Texarkana to join the family business,
1-17 Howard Discount Stores; however, the call of public service was
1-18 strong, and in 1968 Ed Howard was elected to the House of
1-19 Representatives for the 61st Legislature, representing the citizens
1-20 of Bowie County; and
1-21 WHEREAS, During his freshman term, Representative Howard
1-22 served on the Committee on Elections, the Committee on Governmental
1-23 Affairs and Efficiency, the Committee on Oil, Gas, and Mining, and
1-24 the Committee on Youth, and he quickly impressed his colleagues
2-1 with his hard work, his incisive mind, and his attention to detail;
2-2 and
2-3 WHEREAS, During his tenure in the Texas House in the 62nd and
2-4 63rd legislatures, Ed Howard gained positions of increasing
2-5 responsibility and importance, serving on the Revenue and Taxation
2-6 Committee during the 63rd Legislature; and
2-7 WHEREAS, Throughout his tenure in the Texas House, Ed passed
2-8 numerous bills concerning developmental planning processes,
2-9 highways, and schools, and he was instrumental in establishing the
2-10 Northeast Texas Restitution Center in Bowie County; and
2-11 WHEREAS, When Ed Howard was elected to the Texas Senate to
2-12 represent the 15-county District One for the 66th Legislature, he
2-13 was the district's first new senator in more than 40 years,
2-14 replacing his political mentor and the retiring Dean of the Senate,
2-15 A. M. Aikin, Jr., of Paris; Senator Howard soon proved to the
2-16 citizens of the district that he was a worthy successor to Senator
2-17 Aikin; and
2-18 WHEREAS, A team player and a loyal ally of Lieutenant
2-19 Governor Bill Hobby, Ed Howard was a tireless worker during Senate
2-20 deliberations, and his work as chairman of the Sunset Advisory
2-21 Commission, chairman of the Senate Nominations committee, and vice
2-22 chairman of the Finance Committee was invaluable; appointed to the
2-23 Legislative Budget Board in 1985, he also served twice as delegate
2-24 to the Southern Regional Education Board; and
2-25 WHEREAS, Twice recognized by Texas Monthly as an outstanding
2-26 senator, Ed Howard was cited by Texas Business magazine as one of
2-27 the "Ten Best Legislators" during the 67th Legislature and also the
3-1 hardest-working member of the Senate; and
3-2 WHEREAS, After announcing his impending resignation from the
3-3 Texas Senate in April, 1985, he pointed with justifiable pride to
3-4 his work on behalf of health insurance for retired teachers, the
3-5 creation of the World Trade Council, and the establishment of
3-6 restitution centers for nonviolent criminals; and
3-7 WHEREAS, Chosen president pro tempore ad interim of the
3-8 Senate on September 4, 1986, for the 2nd Called Session of the 69th
3-9 Legislature, Ed Howard was praised as the "conscience of the
3-10 Senate"; and
3-11 WHEREAS, After leaving the Senate he associated with Clark,
3-12 Thomas, Winters and Newton and later formed Ed Howard and
3-13 Associates, where he continued to be known for his integrity and
3-14 probity; and
3-15 WHEREAS, A faithful member of the Church of Christ, Ed Howard
3-16 lived his Christian beliefs in thought, word, and action; and
3-17 WHEREAS, He had a strong and enduring commitment and an
3-18 unshakeable bond with his beloved wife, Jo Ann, and together they
3-19 created a warm and nurturing environment for their four children;
3-20 it was in his role as husband and father that the star of this
3-21 widely respected and admired man shone most brightly, and it is in
3-22 that role that he will be most deeply missed; now, therefore, be it
3-23 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
3-24 hereby extend sincere condolences to the members of the family of
3-25 Ed Howard: his wife, Jo Ann; his children, Eric, Jay, Lee, and
3-26 Katie; his grandchildren, Haley and Laney; and his parents,
3-27 V. E. and Ruth Howard; and, be it further
4-1 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be prepared for the
4-2 members of his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the
4-3 Texas Legislature, and that when the legislature adjourns this day,
4-4 it do so in memory of Ed Howard.
Uher
Craddick
Laney
Telford
Laney Glaze Moreno of El Paso
Alexander Goodman Morrison
Allen Goolsby Mowery
Alvarado Gray Naishtat
Averitt Green Najera
Bailey Greenberg Nixon
Berman Grusendorf Noriega
Bonnen Gutierrez Oliveira
Bosse Haggerty Olivo
Brimer Hamric Palmer
Brown of Kaufman Hardcastle Pickett
Brown of Brazos Hartnett Pitts
Burnam Hawley Puente
Capelo Heflin Ramsay
Carter Hilbert Rangel
Chavez Hilderbran Reyna of Bexar
Chisum Hill Reyna of Dallas
Christian Hinojosa Ritter
Clark Hochberg Sadler
Coleman Hodge Salinas
Cook Homer Seaman
Corte Hope Shields
Counts Howard Siebert
Crabb Hunter Smith
Craddick Hupp Smithee
Crownover Isett Solis of Cameron
Cuellar Janek Solis of Bexar
Culberson Jones of Brazos Solomons
Danburg Jones of Lubbock Staples
Davis of Harris Jones of Dallas Swinford
Davis of Dallas Junell Talton
Delisi Keel Telford
Denny Keffer Thompson
Deshotel King of Parker Tillery
Driver King of Uvalde Truitt
Dukes Krusee Turner of Coleman
Dunnam Kuempel Turner of Harris
Dutton Lengefeld Uher
Edwards Lewis of Tarrant Uresti
Ehrhardt Lewis of Orange Van de Putte
Eiland Longoria Walker
Elkins Luna West
Ellis McCall Williams
Farabee McClendon Wilson
Farrar McReynolds Wise
Flores Madden Wohlgemuth
Gallego Marchant Wolens
Garcia Maxey Woolley
George Merritt Yarbrough
Giddings Moreno of Harris Zbranek
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 126 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on April 28, 1999.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 126 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the Senate on April 28, 1999.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _______________________
Date
_______________________
Governor