Grady Howard

Infobox Mayor
name = Grady Howard


caption =
birthdate = birth date|1911|09|15
birthplace = Greer, South Carolina, USA
birthname = Grady Howard
deathdate = death date and age|1989|04|04|1911|09|15
deathplace = Spring Lake, North Carolina, USA
spouse = Elma Pat Howard (1941–1989)
Elected Office = First Mayor of Spring Lake, North Carolina
Elected Term = 'June 6, 1951
Nickname = Mr. Spring Lake

Grady Howard was the first mayor of Spring Lake, North Carolina.

Early life and career

Howard was born in Greer, South Carolina, the son of Narcissus "Cissy" and Davis Milford Howard, who were local agricultural farmers in South Carolina. Grady Howard was elected first Mayor of Spring Lake during the town’s incorporation in 1951. [ [http://www.fayobserver.com/article_archive?id=586145&q=Grady "Fayetteville Observer"] April 5, 1989]

Howard was appointed mayor of Spring Lake by the General Assembly in April 1951 after the town's incorporation. He remained mayor after a special municipal election, serving for 10 years. He served four more years in two later terms and as a result was nicknamed, “Mr. Spring Lake”. [ [http://www.fayobserver.com/article_archive?id=586145&q=Grady "Fayetteville Observer"] April 5, 1989]

He served as the first president of the Greater Spring Lake Chamber of Commerce organized in 1962 and for almost 20 years on the Cumberland County Joint Planning Board. He was active in the Spring Lake Lion's Club and was a past commander of American Legion Post No. 230 in Spring Lake. He also served as chairman of the Spring Lake Democratic precinct.

Howard held membership in the North Carolina Beekeepers' Association, handling gallberry and gum honey in several farms in Cedar Creek and Harnett County, North Carolina. [ [http://www.fayobserver.com/article_archive?id=586275&q=Grady "Fayetteville Observer"] , April 4, 1989, ]

He was a member of Cape Fear Valley Hospital's original board of trustees and a member of Highland Baptist Church in Taylors, South Carolina although he attended the First Presbyterian Church in Spring Lake for more than 50 years.

The Grady Howard conference room was dedicated on June 24, 1979 at the new Spring Lake Town Hall.

Personal life

Howard was married to Elma Pat Walker (1917–2007) from 1941 until his death in 1989. He had one daughter: Dianne Howard Sheppard, who lives in North Carolina. He also had two granddaughters: Jami Sheppard, who lives in South Carolina, and Megan Sheppard, who lives in Virginia. His granddaughter Jami followed in his footsteps and became the Mayor "Pro Tem" in Spring Lake in 2003. She served two terms before relocating to South Carolina. She also wrote "Images of America: Spring Lake" with Howard B. Pate, Jr and served as editor for the book "Spring Lake: A Brief History" by Howard B. Pate, Jr. [ [http://www.fayobserver.com/article_archive?id=916187&q=grady "Fayetteville Observer"] , December 15, 2003 ]

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