Duncan Howard

Dr. Duncan Carnes Howard, 80, passed away Dec. 26, 2005. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 29 at Austin Avenue United Methodist Church with the Rev. Tom Robbins officiating, followed by a Masonic service led by James D. Ward, former Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Texas. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Duncan, the youngest son of William Carnes Howard and Gladys Duncan Howard, was born Aug. 7, 1925 at Scott and White Hospital in Temple. His early life was spent on the Howard Ranch between Moody and Eddy. In 1938, the family moved to Waco where Duncan graduated from Waco High School as the President and Valedictorian of his class in the summer of 1942. Duncan attended the University of Texas in Austin, where he became a member of the Phi Delta Theta social fraternity and was initiated into the Silver Spur Service Organization of the University. Later, after graduating from the University of Texas School of Dentistry in Houston, Duncan practiced dentistry a short time in both Houston and Waco. Following an internship in general anesthesia at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, Dr. Howard entered the United States Air Force and served as a Captain in the dental department at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippine Islands. While stationed in the Philippines, he was awarded a Certification of Appreciation from the Philippine Dental Society for his assistance to dentistry in the Philippines. In addition, he was a Fellow in the Academy of International Dentistry and as a member of both the National and State Dental Societies. He is a past member of the Grievance Committee for the State Dental Society, a past Secretary and a past President of the Waco Dental Society. Following military service in 1958, Duncan returned to Waco and became the first Waco dentist to limit his practice to dentistry to children. After twenty five years of dental practice, he closed his dental office and joined Waco Savings and Loan Association as an officer. Upon the sale of Waco Savings, Dr. Howard continued in the field of finance as a director of the Community Bank and Trust. Among community activities, Dr. Howard served as a past member of the Waco Action Committee, past Director of the Heart of Texas Fair, the Goodwill Industries and the Waco Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of Austin Avenue United Methodist Church, where he was a former Sunday School teacher and a past member of the Official Board. Dr. Howard became an active Freemason in 1949. He was a Past Master of Fidelis Lodge and a charter member of James H. Lockwood Lodge, named for his wife's grandfather. He served on many committees and held several positions for the Grand Lodge of Texas. He was elected Grand Master of Masons in Texas for 1973. Later, he served eight years as the voluntary editor of the Grand Lodge Magazine and was an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Masonic Home and School in Fort Worth and a Director of the Grand Lodge Library and Museum. In the appendant orders of Freemasonry, Duncan was a member of the York Rite Bodies and the Waco Scottish Rite Bodies. He was a charter member and the first Venerable Master elected in the Waco Scottish Rite Bodies. He served as a Director of the Scottish Rite Dormitory for Girls in Austin and as a Trustee of the Scottish Rite Foundation of Texas. In addition, he became an elected member of the Board of Trustees at the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas. He is a member of Karem Shrine and several other Masonic related organizations. Dr. Howard was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Carnes Howard; and his brother, William Duncan Howard. He is survived by his wife and high school sweetheart of 59 years, Ann Marie Lockwood Howard; daughters, Ann Marie Howard Cantrell and her husband, Charles of Oklahoma City and Dr. Linda Howard Tinsley and her husband, Jack of Dallas. There are five grandchildren, Jennifer Cantrell Gaspard and her husband, Kirby, Jeff Cantrell, Scott Goble, Grant Goble and Lee Goble. The family wishes to thank the Providence Hospice team for its care and concern, especially his nurse, Judy. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts will be appreciated at Austin Avenue United Methodist Church, 1300 Austin Avenue, Waco, Texas 76701; Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Welborn St., Dallas, Texas 75219 or to a charity of the donor's choice. Pallbearers will be Barker Chapman, J. R. Closs, Ray Cromwell, Claude Ervin, Greg Gillenwater, Tommy Grusendorf, Tommy Riggs and Cam Talbert. Honorary pallbearers will be Directors of Community Bank and Trust, Ralph Adams, Joe Bittenbinder, Fred Bostwick, James B. Brown, Lawson Clark, V. M. Cox, Charles "Bud" Gervig, Jack Hightower, Harvey Hoffman, Robert Hyatt, Fain Johnson, Waverly Johnson, Dan Jordan, James Keltner, Bill Oliver, Hugh Smith, Murray Watson and Milton Wilson. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. Aug. 7, 1925 - Dec. 26, 2005