Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, December 7, 1993 TAG: 9312070247
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: MT. AIRY, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
OBIT-HOWERTON, REV. RICHARD THOMAS JR., ("DICK"),
HOWERTON, Rev. Richard Thomas Jr., ("Dick"), 78, of 1901 Westfield Rd., Mt.
Airy, N.C., husband of Mrs. Sarah Jackson Howerton, died Friday, December 3,
1993, at the North Carolina Baptist Hospital after a brief struggle with
cancer. Rev. Howerton was born in Oxford, N.C., November 12, 1915, the son of
the late Richard T. Howerton Sr. and the late Mamie Royster Howerton. He grew
up in Durham, N.C. and attended Wake Forest College, where he received the
A.B. degree, Magna Cum Laude, in 1938. He continued his education at Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., earning the Th. M. degree in
1941. He did post graduate work at Columbia University and Union Theological
Seminary, New York, N.Y., while serving as pastor of the First Baptist Church
of Port Jefferson, Long Island, N.Y. He served as pastor of Emmaus Baptist
Church, Poquoson, Va., from 1941 to 1942. He was director of campus ministries
for the North Carolina Baptist State Convention form 1942 to 1946. He served
as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Lincolnton, N.C. from 1949 to 1955,
pastor of the Blacksburg Baptist Church, Blacksburg, Va., from 1955 to 1974,
and pastor of the First Baptist Church of Petersburg, Va., from 1974 to 1980.
In 1981, Rev. Howerton retired to Mt. Airy, N.C., where he served as interm
pastor of twelve area churches, the last being the First Baptist Church of
Dobson, N.C. During his ministry, he was very active in denominational service
and held numerous leadership positions. From 1963 to 1969, he was a member of
the Virginia Baptist General Board. Most recently, Rev. Howerton served as a
member of the First Baptist Church of Mt. Airy, N.C., a member of the
executive board and chair of mission development for the Surry Baptist
Association, and as a board member of the Hawaii Baptist Academy, Honolulu,
Hawaii. He was active in community affairs. While in Petersburg, Va., he was
instrumental in founding the Petersburg Public Forum. In Mt. Airy, N.C., he
served as director of the Surry Arts Council, a member of the Mt. Airy Art
League, a member of the Mt. Airy Rotary Club, and an instructor at Surry
Community College. For his work in the promotion of literacy, Rev. Howerton
received the Presidents Volunteer Action Award Medal from Time Life in 1988.
He conducted seminar study tours in Israel, Greece, Turkey and Europe. Rev.
Howerton is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mrs. Sarah Jackson Howerton, of
the home; two daughters and sons-in-law, Carol Howerton Harding and
Christopher R. Harding, Winston-Salem, N.C., Sarah Howerton Hanson and George
K. Hanson, Poquoson, Va.; one son and daughter-in-law, Richard T. Howerton III
and Janice P. Howerton, Charlotte, N.C.; seven grandchildren, Katherine and
Christopher Harding, Seth, Drew and Rob Howerton, Richard and Laura Hanson;
one sister, Mrs. Dorothy H. Nelson, Des Moines, Iowa; two brothers, Thomas R.
Howerton, Durham, N.C., Beverly R. Howerton, Grand Rapids, Mich. A memorial
service will be held Tuesday, December 7, 1993, at 2:30 p.m. at the First
Baptist Church of Mt. Airy, conducted by Dr. James Langford and Dr. Warren
Carr. Memorials may be made to the Howerton Fund for Campus Ministries or to
the Building Fund, First Baptist Church, 714 N. Main St., Mt. Airy, NC 27030.
by CNB