Charles Gaston Howard

Charles Gaston Howard, age 71, passed away May 29, 2020, at a Mansfield hospital. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, June 4, 2020, at Christ Lutheran Church in Hillsboro with Pastor Michael Nemec officiating. Funeral services will be live streamed via the church and funeral home Facebook pages. Burial will follow at Salem-Irene Cemetery in Irene. A visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 3, 2020, at Marshall and Marshall Funeral Directors in Hillsboro.

Charles Gaston Howard was born June 12, 1948, in Hillsboro, Texas to Gaston and Frances Howard of Malone, the last of 4 children. He graduated from Bynum High School in 1966. He was drafted into the Army and then served in the National Guard. He attended Hill College. He was a farmer and rancher for many years of his life as well as a Correctional Officer for the TDCJ-ID and a successful business owner for over 20 years.

He married the love of his life, Betty, on January 5, 1982. She embraced every challenge he set before her from running multiple businesses, to blending families, to travel, and to hosting events. She never backed away from anything he proposed, no matter how daunting the task. He loved to travel and spent many years visiting a wide range of places all over North America as well as Spain and the Caribbean, but the mountains of Colorado always had his heart.

Family was at the heart of everything for Charles. He was a devoted son, brother, uncle, cousin, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. So much of his life centered around keeping his family close to him from working the farm with his parents to annual holidays with the extended family and finally running a contracting business that allowed his children and grandchildren to work with him for over 20 years.

He was an active member of Christ Lutheran Church and specifically enjoyed attending Wednesday night Bible study as this brought together the things he cherished: faith, food, friendship, and conversation. While he was growing up, food was love in his family and he spread his love to everyone he met through his meals all his life. He enjoyed cooking and was always eager to share a new flavor combination he had created. He was a generous philanthropist who would quite literally give the shirt from his back for anyone in need.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Annie Lee Wright and her husband, M. J.; sister, Viola Huse; two nephews, Jerry and Tom Huse; and a niece, Stacie Mathis. Those left here to carry on his legacy are his wife, Betty, of Malone; daughter, Jennifer Hogan and husband, Stacey, of Malone; son, Steven Enders and wife, Becky, of West; his sister, May Bell Watson and husband, Carl, of Waxahachie; brother-in-law, Melvin Huse of Richardson; brother-in-law, Roy Freeze and wife, Liz, of Malone; his grandchildren, Matt Enders and wife, Brittney, Michelle, Elaine, Nicole and Colton Enders, all of West and Natalie, Mallorie, and Nicholas Hogan, all of Malone; great-grandchildren Haisley Enders and Nathaneal Rogers; as well as countless nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Christ Lutheran Church, 915 Corsicana Hwy., Hillsboro, TX 76645.