David B. Howard

David grew up in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood of Dallas. Alongside many of his cousins, he went to Urban Park Elementary, John B. Hood Jr. High School, and W.W. Samuel High School. In high school he ran track and was the Texas state champion pole-vaulter in 1971, his senior year.

Growing up, David worked for his dad Bill at Auto Care Center, which was located across from Fair Park. When the Dallas Cowboys played in the Cotton Bowl, the family would park cars on the lot on Sundays. The cousins would run ahead to the Cotton Bowl and save seats for the men who would come once the lot was full. They also parked cars for the annual State Fair of Texas.

After graduating, he went to Abilene Christian College on an athletic scholarship. He pole-vaulted and was also in the Kinsman social club. He graduated in 1975 with a degree in Marketing.

He then moved back to Dallas and began attending the Skillman church of Christ. It was in the singles class at Skillman that he first met Judy. She asked what he did for a living; he told her he was a spy. She didn't know whether he was joking or not. They were married on April 28, 1978.

He had many titles and roles over the years. He elevated everything he did. He had a unique way of looking at things, and he brought that creativity into everything.

For the past 16 years, David has worked at Earl Owen Company as the national sales manager. In addition to building the sales team, he organized trade shows, and facilitated the re-location to the new warehouse.

David just assumed that he could do anything, and he was usually right. He taught himself piano, magic, guitar, computers, astronomy, and many other things. He was excellent at everything he did.

When his kids joined the boy scouts, he became a den leader, then a cub master, and then a scout master. During that tenure, he went to at least seven summer camps including three backpacking treks, multiple winter camps, and countless weekend camping trips.

For the past 20 years, David and Judy have been members at Prestoncrest church of Christ. Over that time, he served as a Sunday School teacher, Deacon, and Elder. For about 10 years, he and Judy mentored engaged and newly married couples.

David is survived by his beloved wife, Judy Howard; sons, Ted Howard and wife, Megan, and Roger Howard both of Dallas, Texas; sisters, Barbara Gumpert and husband, Alvin, of Dallas, Texas, Carolyn Shiffman and husband, Rick, of Orange, Connecticut, and Valeria Killingsworth and husband, Howard, of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren, Lila, Henry and Owen, and a host of other loving family members and friends.

The family will receive guests at a visitation on Thursday, February 18, 2016 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home, 7990 George Bush Turnpike, Dallas, Texas 75252. A funeral service will take place on Friday, February 19, 2016 at 10:00 AM at Prestoncrest Church of Christ, 6022 Prestoncrest Ln., Dallas, Texas 75230. Interment will follow at Restland Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Ave, Dallas, Texas 75243. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in David’s memory to the Red River Family Encampment, P.O. Box 8997, Amarillo, Texas 79114-8997.