HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Communications Office
Room 609 Legislative Office Building
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
404.656.0305
1.877.222.2768

House mourns the passing of
Rep. Henry Howard

Augusta legislator will be sorely missed

ATLANTA - State Representative Henry Howard (D-Augusta) passed away Sunday evening after suffering from a heart attack shortly after attending a gospel music program on Sunday.  Howard, the Chairman of the Richmond County legislative delegation, represented the 121^st House District in Augusta, GA, and was the its longest-serving representative.  After serving as an Augusta City and then Richmond County Commissioner, Howard was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1990.  Rep. Howard also served as the Chairman of the Augusta Chapter of Black Elected Officials.

“Representative Henry Howard was a distinguished member of the Georgia House of Representatives and will be greatly missed by his colleagues,” Speaker Richardson said.  “Representative Howard served his community honorably and will be remembered for the contributions he made as a businessman and a legislator to make Georgia a great state.  On behalf of the members of the Georgia House, I extend my deepest sympathies and offer my most heartfelt prayers to his family.”

Under the former Democrat controlled House, Rep. Howard served as the Chairman of the Human Relations & Aging committee.  Howard currently served on the House Economic Development & Tourism, Science & Technology, and the Transportation committees.

“Henry will be sorely missed,” said House Minority Leader DuBose Porter.  “He was kind, gentle man that was liked by everyone.  He loved his family and his state and was a very dedicated legislator.”

            In the late 1950s, Howard became an entrepreneur when he started the family-owned and operated Howard’s Upholestry, gradually branching out into what became Howard Enterprises, which included: Uniformal Unlimited, Howard’s Church Sales, Uph-ward Promotions and Tina’s Shoe Gallery.  At this same time, he produced a one hour television gospel program known as “Parade of Quartets.”  It is the longest running television gospel program in the United States.  The program still airs each Sunday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on WJBF-TV, Channel 6.  The program features community and church program up-dates, local and national gospel groups, and various types of talent.  Both he and his wife Earnestine Howard, are members of the Green Grove Baptist Church, where Rep. Howard served as a Deacon of the church.

A writ will be issued by Governor Perdue’s office within the next 10 days to set a date for a special election to fill Rep. Howard’s seat.  Currently the date for that election has not yet been set.

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Brent Cranfield

404-656-0305 bcranfield@legis.state.ga.us