Rufus David Howard age 90 of Burgaw, slipped away from this life on Monday March 3, 2014 at Pender Memorial Hospital, surrounded by close family members. He was born January 23, 1924 in Lenoir County near Deep Run where his family goes back several generations, son of the late Rufus and Eula Harper Howard. He was also predeceased by his son Kenneth David Howard and wife Mary Lindsley Howard.

He is survived by a daughter, Susan Eileen Howard of the home; one sister, Mary Alice Jordan of Greenville; brothers-in-law, Kenneth P. Lindsley, Jr. of Kansas, and Pritchard D. Lindsley of Utah; sister-in-law Ann White of Wilmington; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He grew up in a loving household that was fairly self sufficient and well respected in their farming community. He graduated from high school in 1941. He joined the Army Air Corp and was a gunnery instructor for the B-29 bomber in WWII and worked on a crew that photographed Spain from the air during the peacetime occupation. After he was discharged he went to NC State College on the GI Bill, earning a degree in Agronomy. In the summer of 1949 he and a few college friends went up to Alaska and worked on a crew helping to construct the Alpine Highway. After college he was hired by a tobacco company to go to Venezuela for two years and teach the farmers there how to grow tobacco. In 1955 he married his wife of 53 years, Mary Neel Lindsley, and they had two children, Susan and Kenneth. In 1963, feeling the need to expand his farming acreage, he found and bought the farm on Stag Park Road where he spent the rest of his life. He was active in his business affairs until the week of his death. He was an accomplished businessman, respected in the community, and always kept close ties with family and old friends.

A memorial service will be held Saturday March 8, 2014 at 2:00 PM at the Burgaw Baptist Church. The Reverend Nathan Morton will officiate. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the church fellowship hall. Memorial contributions can be given to the Burgaw Baptist Church PO Box 385 Burgaw, NC 28425.

Online condolences can be made to the family at www.harrellsfh.com.
A service of Harrell's Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Burgaw.