Mr. Tom Howard, age 81, died Monday following a heart attack that he suffered as he was preparing to be with his wife Lennie, during her final minutes at Ogeechee Area Hospice, their deaths occurred within minutes of each other.

Mr. Howard was born in Brooklet, Georgia to the late Otis and Janie Foxworth Howard. He graduated from Brooklet High School in 1947 and then joined the U.S. Army. Upon the completion of his military service, Mr. Howard returned to Statesboro and began his banking career. He was employed with Sea Island Bank for several years, moving to Bulloch County Bank, which later was named First Bulloch Bank and retiring as Senior Vice President from BB&T following 45 years of service in 1995. Mr. Howard was a member of the Baygall Hunting Club, Portal Hunting Club and the St. Catherines Sport Fishing Club. He was a member of the Statesboro Primitive Baptist Church. During his retirement, he enjoyed raising goats and chickens.

Surviving are two sons and daughters-in-law, Greg and Janet Howard and Mike and Natalie Howard; four grandchildren, Jinci and Bryan Evans, Paul Howard and Whitney and Andrew Richland and Hunter and Liz Howard and two great grandchildren, Kasen and Aubree Evans.

Visitation will be Tuesday from 4:00pm until 7:00pm at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home in Statesboro. Funeral services will be Wednesday at 2:00pm at the Statesboro Primitive Baptist Church with Rev Hunter Howard officiating, assisted by Elder Randy Waters. The body will lie-in-state one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Bulloch Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Jimmy Hendrix, John Lane, Steve Tanner, Randy Turner, Wayne Laircey and Kenny Collins. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Ogeechee Area Hospice, P.O. Box 531, Statesboro, Ga. 30459.

Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com

Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home of Statesboro is in charge of the arrangements.

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