Reid Howard

R. Reid Howard, age 80 of Welcome Bethesda Road, Lexington went peacefully to be with the Lord early Sunday morning at Hinkle Hospice House, after suffering from cancer. His wife, of 42 years, always by his side, was holding his hand as he entered God’s presence. Funeral service will be held 11:00 AM Wednesday at Union Grove Baptist Church with Pastor Ken Harris and Rev. T. W. Bailey officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with military graveside rites by Davidson County Honor Guard. The family will receive friends at Davidson Funeral Home, Lexington from 6:00 until 8:00 pm Tuesday. Reid was born in Cherokee County, September 25, 1933 to Samuel David and Willa Belle Dereberry Howard. He was a member of Union Grove Baptist Church where he enjoyed the fellowship of his “beekeeper” friends. He was a retired truck driver with Hennis Freight Lines and a veteran of the US Army and severed in Germany. Reid was a beekeeper, taking great pride in the quality of his honey. He enjoyed the outdoors and has a yard full of fruit trees and blue berry bushes that will continue to bear the fruit of his labors. He loved his grand and great-grandchildren, all boys except for Ashley, the apple of his eye and she referred to her papaw as her best friend. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Rickey Hedrick; sister, Cora Belle Payne; brothers, Randall and Richard Howard. Surviving are his wife, Julie Scott Howard of the home; daughter, Cathy Hedrick Bowman (Nathan) of Lexington; four grandchildren, Eric Hale (Jo), Mickey Hale, Kevin Hale (Kelly) and Robbie Hale; great-grandchildren, Chase, Ashley, Jacob and Joshua Hale; sisters, Carolyn Ruth Floyd of Lexington and Lynetta Howard Lemaster of Louisiana; brothers, Rev. Roy Howard of Andrews, NC and Robert Howard of Supply, NC; other family members include in-laws, Clayton Scott, Bernice Brookshire, Henry Scott and their families, who have been a tremendous amount of support to their sister, Julie. Also surviving, a great-nephew, Richie Burham who knew him as grandpa.