Vernon Edgar Howard

Howard was born on April 13, 1937, in Hot Springs, Arkansas to Verna Elisha Howard and Ruth Moryne (nee Jackson) and moved to Texas at a very early age. He later attended Abilene Christian College and graduated in 1959 with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He then continued his education at Southern Methodist University, where he received his master's degree in Political Science. ==Politics==

Nicknamed "Honest Ed," Howard served in both the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate. Texas House of Representatives Howard served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1969 to 1975. While in office, he was selected "Who's Who in American Politics," "Who's Who in the South," and was instrumental in the passage of key legislation in education and city services that earned him the award "Outstanding Young Legislator." Texas Senate After serving three terms in the Texas House, he was elected to the Texas Senate in 1978, where he served from 1979 to 1986. Howard's major areas of concern were wiretapping, insurance, industrial revenue bonds, and revisions in the method of financing our colleges and universities. He served on the Interstate Oil Compact Commission and was twice selected a delegate to the Southern Regional Education Board. Committees == Family and personal life ==

He married Jo Ann Jay in 1960. He became very successful in the business world with his wife. They had four children: Eric, Jay, Lee, and Katie. An animal lover, Howard went hunting with a group of friends every year; however, his actual purpose was to fire off rounds but not hit the deer so as to make them wary during the hunting season; in ten years of such conservation-oriented hunting, he did not succeed in killing one animal and maintained a close bond of friendship with his hunting buddies who said that he "just can't hit the broadside of a barn." == Death ==

He died on July 2, 1998, at the age of 61 of throat cancer. He was buried in the Texas State Cemetery at Austin, Travis County, Texas, USA. He is survived by his wife, children, and ten grandchildren. ==References==