Eschol “Bud” Howard, a resident of Huntsville for 65 years, slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God on June 26th, 2023. He was born 94 years ago as the 5th of 9 children of Livingston “Doc” Howard and Bessie Thornton in Walter, Alabama. He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Ann Dismukes, and his eldest son, Don. He is survived by his youngest son, David (Kim) of Germantown, Tennessee; daughter-in-law, Becky Mathis (Robert) of Huntsville; and 5 grandchildren, Ashley Allen (John), Lauren Johnson (Randy), Kitty Roberts (Ros) all of Huntsville; and Caroline Studdard (Daniel) and Ethan Howard (Mallory) all of Birmingham; 8 great-grandchildren plus two on the way; sister, Estelle Jackson of Warren, Michigan; brother-in-law, Harrol Dismukes of Cullman; and special friend, Shelby Flint of Plymouth, North Carolina.
Bud was a child of the Great Depression, graduating from the school of hard knocks to join the U.S. Army in 1945 where he served in the occupation of Japan and the Korean War. He used the GI Bill to become an electrical technician and then joined NASA in the late 1950s where he served until his retirement in 1993. Bud had the ability to fix just about anything which, sadly, was not a skill inherited by his sons. Much to his family’s dismay, Bud was an avid collector of all things deemed “bargains” or that he could fix – which was fine in his younger years due to his prodigious skill but was less so as the years advanced. He had a special place in his heart for 1974 Chevrolet Vegas, keeping one in his backyard for the last 30 years. He was always ready to (re-) tell a story or impart wisdom – including his last night with his family.
Bud was a faithful husband, kind father and beloved grandfather. He and his wife worked incredibly hard to provide their sons and grandchildren with all of the advantages that they themselves lacked. His family was his pride and joy. The last few years took a toll on him physically; but he never quit. He was always making plans about what he was going to do when he felt better. Most importantly, Bud was a Christian who raised his sons to love the Lord. His family does not mourn for him because he’s been healed and will never experience suffering nor sorrow again. They will miss him but they’re secure in the knowledge that they will see him again one day.
The memorial service will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 30th at Laughlin Service Funeral Home with Rev. Bryan Martin officiating. There will be a private family burial at Holly Pond Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the International Missions Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, 3806 Monument Ave., Richmond, VA 23230.
