Howard Lydick

Lydick, Howard LeRoy Was born in Anthony, Kansas, to Clarence Joseph "C.J." Lydick and Hattie Rachel Long Lydick on September 2, 1929. The elder of two boys, he grew up in Wichita, Kansas, and earned a B.A. in European history from the University of Wichita (now Wichita State) in 1951. After serving in the U.S. Army in occupied Germany for two years, he was honorably discharged as first lieutenant and earned his law degree from the University of Kansas in 1956, where he met and married Eleanor Marian Beling in October of that year. He began his career as an insurance adjustor in Lubbock and Brownwood, Texas, moving to Richardson in 1958 where he worked for Commercial Union Assurance Companies as an adjustor for auto, fire and casualty insurance, later specializing in workman's compensation adjusting and litigation until retiring in 1991. Thereafter he worked as a partner in dispute mediation. A lifelong Republican, Mr. Lydick became active in the Prohibitionist Party during the last few years of his life. As chairman of the Independent Committee on Alcohol and Drugs for the United Methodist Church, he was instrumental in assisting that denomination to return to its historic position on the social issue of alcohol abstinence. In 1998, he was elected president of the National Temperance and Prohibition Council. He was a member of his church for 50 years from 1958 until his death. He was preceded in death by his wife Eleanor (1993), his parents, and his brother John Lotus Lydick (2006) of Wichita, Kansas. He is survived by his brother's wife Kay Lydick of Wichita, Kansas; his son Daniel Lydick and wife Paula of Dallas, Texas; his daughter, Marian Lydick of Los Angeles, California; his wife's sister, Alice Jenks of Chicago; Eleanor's brother, Tom Beling and wife Peg of Boston; and several nephews, nieces, grand nephews and grand nieces. Visitation will be from 4-6 PM, Sunday, August 10, 2008, at Restland Funeral Home. Graveside service will be 9:30 AM, Monday, August 11, 2008, at Restland Memorial Park, followed by a memorial service at 11 AM at First United Methodist Church in Richardson, Texas. Memorial gifts may be sent to First United Methodist Church of Richardson. Restland 972-238-7111 restlandfuneralhome.com