ANDERSON, SC - Cecil C. Howard, husband of Avanelle Gilstrap Howard, passed away peacefully at the Rainey Hospice House Thursday, February 23, 2012, in his 86th year of life.
Born in Pickens, Cecil was a son of the late Rufus and Mattie Bowen Howard.
Cecil was a graduate of Clemson University and retired as manager of the SC Employment Security Commission. He was a member of First Baptist Church, Anderson, SC, where he served as a Sunday School teacher for many years. He was a past member of the Anderson Kiwanis Club. He was a WWII Veteran who served as a Marine at Iwo Jima.
Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Avanelle; daughter JoAnn Vickery and husband, Pat, of Anderson; granddaughter, Joanna Herath and husband, John, of Raleigh, NC; and sister, Bethel Kelley of Pickens.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers Coy, Claude, and Dick Howard and sisters Mellie Garrett and Lois Gravely.
The family will receive friends at The McDougald Funeral Home on Saturday, February 25, 2012, from 10:00 am until 11:00 am with the Funeral Service beginning at 11:00 am in the Chapel officiated by the Reverend Dr. James R. Thomason. Entombment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Mausoleum.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorials be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 4124 Clemson Boulevard, Anderson, SC 29621, Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, SC 29621, or First Baptist Church, 307 Manning Street, Anderson, SC 29621.
A message of condolence may be sent by visiting www.mcdougaldfuneralhome.com