William Howard Obituary

William L. Howard GLENVILLE, NC - William L. Howard, 74, of Glenville, NC, passed away on April 13th. Bill was born in Ann Arbor, MI, on January 19, 1948, the son of Leroy A. Howard and Bettye Adwell Howard. He graduated from Trumbull High School in 1966, Dickinson College in 1970 (B.A.), and the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1973 (J.D.). He accepted a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he trained in the Army Transportation Corps. From 1973-1988, Bill was in private practice in Charleston, SC, eventually becoming a partner at Belk, Howard, Cobb, and Chandler. In 1988, he was elected as a judge for the 9th Judicial Circuit Court of SC. As a circuit court judge, he served on many state-wide committees dedicated to improving the judicial system. During his tenure on the circuit bench, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court appointed Bill to handle all state-court asbestos related litigation in South Carolina. He also presided over the Susan Smith murder trial, which received nationwide coverage. He then served on the American Bar Association's High Profile Trial Advocacy Advisory Team. In 1996, Bill was elected to the SC Court of Appeals, where he served as an associate justice until his retirement from the bench in 2004. During that time, he served on the Joint Commission for Alternative Dispute Resolution and would go on to become chairman of the SC Supreme Court Commission for Alternative Dispute Resolution. In 2004, Bill returned to private practice with the law firm Clement Rivers until his retirement in 2018. Bill was a man of many talents. He played in several bands growing up and continued to play the guitar, bass, banjo, and piano throughout his life. He loved boats and fishing and spent many happy hours on the water, even winning the Edisto Inshore Fishing Tournament one year! Bill loved golf and croquet, not just for the sport, but for the many friends he made on the course and the lawn. Bill's greatest passion was his family. He met his wife, Daphne, during college, and they married in 1968. He loved big family get togethers, whether a sit-down dinner or a pig roast in the backyard. He was a wonderful husband and father, grandfather, and uncle. He cared deeply about every family member and was always ready with a hug or words of encouragement. His happiest times were at the family cottage on Perdido Bay in Lillian, Alabama. He shared many wonderful vacations with his immediate family, a large extended family, and his adored dogs Keeper, Poncho, Banjo, and Jordan. Bill was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Teddy Lee Howard. He is survived by his wife, Daphne Carruthers Howard; son, Billy Howard and his wife, Reeves; daughter, Tiffany Howard; and grandchildren, Chase, Liam, and Samantha. He is also survived by his sister, Peggy Leete and brother-in-law and dearest friend, Bill Leete, as well as many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 23rd, at 11:00 am at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 1448 State Route 107, Cashiers, N.C. 28717. A second memorial service will be held on April 30th at 3:00 pm at Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church, 302 Hibben Street, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Prisma Hospice of the Foothills, Cottingham House, 390 Keowee School Road, Seneca, SC 29672 or to Cashiers Highlands Humane Society, 200 Gable Drive, Sapphire, NC 28774. Visit our guestbook at legacy.com/obituaries/charleston