Rodney Paul Howard

Rodney Paul Howard passed away on January 27, 2024 in Conroe, Texas after suffering a

stroke and subsequent hemorrhage. He was 70 years old. In Rodney’s final days he was in the

loving fellowship of some of his most treasured family and friends.

Rodney was born in Swan, Texas on September 17, 1953 and soon moved to Port Arthur,

Texas which would become his on-again, off-again home for the next 70 years. In 1971 he

married his soul’s complement, Barbara (Johnson) Howard at the age of 17 and they welcomed

their first son, J. Shane Howard that August in Abilene, Texas. In 1973, their second son, Justin

Paul Howard arrived in Scottsdale, Arizona. The four became an authentic dynamo of love,

discipline, adventure, and open-hearted seekers of life’s best moments.

Rodney’s life was defined by his decency, his work ethic, his spirit of service to others, his love

for his wife, and his love for his children. He exuded a quiet strength without bravado yet

carried power that prevailed time and again in the personal and professional dealings with

those he interacted with. He counseled hundreds of individuals over the years as a youth

minister, social worker, community leader, friend, and even as a stranger never turning away

from a human in suffering or confounded in life’s complexities. He was always “there” for

people. Every time, every day, in his own manner with a kind smile and wise words usually well

beyond his years. He used what he had and what he knew - the world could be a better place

and people could be better to themselves and each other. Rodney Howard walked with this

understanding in his essence and a deep abiding faith in God whom he believed, before all

else, wants us to do right by ourselves and each other and leave the complicated questions for

deeper contemplation. But first, be decent, work hard, and be open hearted.

Rodney and Barbara crafted a life of genuine adventure together with a soulful bond and

commitment rivaled by nothing by any who witnessed it in person could envision. They and

their sons lived in nearly two dozen different houses in several cities and states always seeking

the opportunity to thrive as humans and work diligently to provide for their wellbeing. From

Texas, to Arizona, to Alaska, and back, Rodney chose every step in careful consideration of a

specific goal or need at the moment without concern for a larger strategic financial or business

plan. Rather, his mission in constancy was his family’s happiness and health through

persistence and discipline. His focus remained consistently on his wife’s comfort and joy and

the upbringing of healthy, responsible, kind, hard working boys who would have the

opportunities not afforded him.

Rodney was a true jack of all trades. He demonstrated superior carpentry skills, electrician

work, and craftsmanship building apartments and houses in Texas and Arizona. His

organization and planning abilities were impressive attracting and organizing record setting

events as the Director of the Port Arthur Civic Center. His knowledge of scripture and his ability

to provide learning in ways that actually applied in useful ways to peoples’ lives was

unparalleled through his ministry to young people, particularly troubled teens whose confusion

and suffering he and Barbara had too much familiarity in their own young lives. Even in the

bush of Alaska, Rodney ensured that his family was well taken care of with a cabin homestead

that never wanted for food or heat and was in persistent improvement. At every step in every

endeavor he worked hard, never wavered in his confidence in God’s wisdom or the decency of

his fellow man, and always, always placed his family’s well being first.

Rodney’s influence touched the lives of far too many to even count. Importantly, his first priority

was always those closest to him. When he married Barbara, he became a leading and essential

positive influence in the lives of his mother in law, Florene Johnson (deceased 2023) and sisters

in law, Robin Latimer and Liz Stockstill whose friendship to him was rewarding and profound

until his last moments. Rodney’s deep abiding friendship with his older brother Kenny Howard

began in their youth and continued to his last day on earth as Kenny and his wife Janis

fellowshipped with Rodney. Rodney and Barbara’s best friends, Don and Janet Hoffpauir,

provided Rodney with more than 60 years of loyal mutuality and understanding through all the

twists and turns of their lives.

Rodney and Babara’s 28 year earthly roadtrip came to a mournful end when Barbara passed

away in December 1998. His son Justin passed away in October 2013. His oldest son Shane

will continue to strive to carry on the essence of their highest values with his wife Laura (Miller)

Howard in their own choices and endeavors. Rodney was also loved and supported over many

years and in his final days by his second wife Ginger Howard and daughters in law, Laura

Howard and Christina Howard.

Rodney’s grandchildren, Austin Howard (27) and fiancé Ariana Levine (27), Michelle Howard

(26), Case Howard (23), and Barbara Howard (13) will miss Rodney and forever know the best

of the man he was while absorbing and learning from the internal challenges that all men

possess but must strive to never yield to.

His younger sister Tamara VanSlyke filled Rodney’s years with tender smiles and mutual

affection. Rodney is now reunited in the hereafter with his fun loving, fishing expert brother Art

Howard who passed away in 2021. His oldest brother Aubrey will miss the man who lived in

such a different way than himself but for which admiration, respect, and love filled their

relationship and whose short game in golf influenced Rodney’s own strategy on the course.

The countless nieces and nephews who adored their Uncle Rodney and could count on him for

wise counsel, support for their dreams, and gentle kindness will miss his smile and truly loving

countenance. Rodney’s father Arthur Howard now shines his smile on his youngest son in

God’s resting place and mother Katherine Howard (102) knows her son honored the best of her

intentions while on this earth.

Rodney Howard never purposefully harmed another person or animal with malice in word or

hand. Most of us cannot claim such an achievement. Most of those who knew him have never

known a more authentically decent yet strong human than Rodney Howard and we will all be

well-served to take his example during his best days and the lessons of his most challenging

days and use each to reach for our own highest moral selves each day.

The family is forever grateful to Devotion Hospice for their care for Rodney in his final days and

the staff at the Conroe Regional Medical Center for their caring professionalism and efforts to

save his life under challenging circumstances.

Rodney’s remains are to be cremated. His ashes will be placed along the grave of his beloved

Barbara in Kountze, Texas in a Commemoration of Life event in May 2024, the week of what

would have been their 53rd wedding anniversary.