October 20, 1932
J. TAZE HOWARD, 87, ANSWERS CALL
J. Taze Howard, 87, died last Thursday night at his home south of Honaker, following a brief illness of pneumonia. Rev. E. S. Stephens conducted funeral services from the home Friday afternoon and burial was in the family cemetery near by.
Mr. Howard served in the Confederate army and had the reputation of being a loyal soldier.
He is survived by three children: W. A. Howard, of Putnam; Mrs. Lizzie Nelson, of Richmond, and Mrs. Sallie Meade, who made her home with her father.
"Uncle" Taze loved everybody and was loved by every one. A friend pays him the following well-deserved tribute:
Death stands sentinel, grim, and inexorable, hostile and implacable, on the boundary line of the unknown. There is no counter-sign, no pasSword, for he is a foe to all who come - and all must come. His only command is "Halt." Death's fell stroke must descend upon all flesh. And so the grim reaper Death visited our midst on last Thursday evening and called from the ranks of that immortal thin gray line one of its gallant members. In the death of J. Taze Howard, Russell county has lost one of her most distinguished citizens, the common people one of their most charitable and loyal friends, and the hearts of all who knew him have been made sad by the passing of this grand old man. He lived, and loved, and laughed, and labored for his people and for humanity. He planted the flowers of mirth and joy in the hearts of others, and labored on until the winter of age whitened his head with the snow that never melts; but there was no snow upon his heart; 'twas always summer there. He would rather have had some bare footed boy whom he had fed and clothed to have come and dropped at ear upon his grave, than to have been buried with the pomp and splendor of kings. In war, in peace, he was ever the same, outstanding in character and Christian manhood, quiet and unassuming, kind and courteous to all and ever ready and willing to contribute of his means to those less fortunate in life.
To his children I wish to say, that I would rather be left the legacy of the honorable name your father left you than to have all the gold in the world without it. After all what is life? What is Death? Today we hear a bird singing in the treetop; they tell us that is life. Tomorrow the bird lies cold and stiff at the root of the tree; it will sing no more; they tell us that is death. There is no death, the sun goes down to rise upon some fairer clime, so we know that somewhere beyond this world there is infinite power and eternal life. The blessed Christ who whispered "Peace" to the trouble waters of Galilee, has whispered "Peace" to the trouble soul of the departed soldier. There his tired eyes have opened to the light of a blissful immortality.
A FRIEND
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