Jimmie Lee "Buddy" Howard, Jr.

Jimmie L. “Buddy” Howard, Jr.
Mulhearn Funeral Home
Rayville, LA

Funeral services for Mr. Jimmie L. “Buddy” Howard, Jr. of Rayville, LA will be 2:00pm Saturday, February 8, 2020 in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home Rayville with Rev. Jeremy Lowe officiating. Interment will follow at New Forest Cemetery in Forest, LA under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 12:00pm until time of service Saturday at the funeral home.

Buddy was born March 3, 1948 in Starkville, MS and passed from this life on February 5, 2020 in West Monroe, LA at the age of 71. He was known for a lot of things in his early years, which included flying and crop-dusting, for he achieved his pilot’s license at the age of 14, and survived a plane crash while he was piloting. He was involved in the KA fraternity at Northwestern University and he was a disc jockey as “Buddy in the morning” on a local oldies radio station. Buddy won a dance contest on Dance Party on KNOE TV where he went on to the state championship. He enjoyed barefoot skiing, hunting, fishing, farming and playing Blackjack. He also passed down the legacy of the family traditional game of “Rook”, but by the Howard rules. He was known as a story-teller, a “serial entrepreneur”, a “Jack of all trades, but master of none”, a salesman of all salesman and was known for his amazing sense of humor as well. Buddie chose to be an organ donor and at the end of his life his legacy will live on through people that he helped by his decision. He was a man who lived life to the fullest and will be greatly missed.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Jimmie L. Howard, Sr. and Betty Jean Callender Howard; and his four-legged child, Freckles Lee Howard.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 44 years, Paulette “Paula” Sullivan Howard of Rayville; his children, Brandi Brownlee Howard of Rayville, Ashley Brookes Howard Perry and husband, Austin of Ft. Worth, TX, and Jimmie L. “Trey” Howard, III of Start; two sisters, Betty Ann Howard Yerger and husband, George and Billie Brownlee Howard Kirkpatrick and husband, Mike all of Heber Springs, AR; three precious grandchildren who were his pride and joy, Charlotte Joy Perry, Hudson Paul Perry and Graham Howard Perry all of Ft. Worth, TX; and his “faux daughter”, Amy Wilson; also survived by a host of extended family and friends.

Pallbearers will be Dr. Monty Sullivan, Peyton Fisher, Chris Weems, Austin Perry, Ryan Kirkpatrick, Randy Lively, Barry Sullivan and Art Kenney. Honorary pallbearers will be Hudson Perry, Charlotte Perry, Graham Perry, Billy Sullivan, Randy Thomisee, Dickie Howard, David Howard, John Crow, Sizer Yerger and Brookes Howard.

Family and friends of Buddy who prefer to give a memorial gift, may do so to the American Heart Association, LOPA, or the American Kidney Fund.

Online condolences/registry at mulhearnfuneralhome.com