Buttons Howard

The family of Buttons Howard will celebrate his life of 83 years at 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 7, 2021 at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers. His family will host a time of fellowship and remembrance from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Friday, August 06, 2021 at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers. We invite you to view the live-streamed service on this page, sign his virtual guestbook, and download his memorial keepsake folder to your device for printing.Buttons was born Berwin Lloyd Howard on June 13, 1938, in Portales, NM to Ernest and Bea Howard. He was followed by Paul Howard, Sharon Howard and Coy (Short) Howard. He passed from this earth on Friday, July 30, 2021, to join Jesus and loved ones in Heaven.Our dad began his life from humble beginnings. His parents were simple, plain people with a strong work ethic. They strived to succeed in many endeavors passing this work ethic down to their children. Berwin set his sights on a roping career and worked diligently from an early age. He was slight in form and was given the nickname from a rodeo announcer the name of “Buttons”, making the remark that he was no bigger than a button. The name stuck from then on and he was known as Buttons Howard. Buttons received a rodeo scholarship from ENMU where he met Shirley O’Hare. They married in 1956 and had four children in the marriage. They parted ways after many years, and he married Judy. In the union Buttons adopted Judy’s daughter, Lisa and the family expanded to five children. He moved his family to Farwell, TX where he built a home and one of the first indoor arenas in Texas behind the house. He qualified and roped at the National Finals Rodeo four years in a row and where he listed in the Rodeo Records and Stats book, before a life altering accident which changed his life forever. He was tragically injured in a roping accident setting his life on a different course after a long recovery. When he returned home, he began to make new plans during his rehabilitation. He would utilize the indoor arena he built to hold weekly team ropings with the help of his wife and children. He would build on this course and create a new, greater vision called, The Panhandle Classic, the longest and last privately owned sanctioned USTRC team roping in the country. During this time, Buttons and Judy had moved to Lubbock and he began to develop a subdivision and build homes. As time went on, his momentum slowed. He began to enjoy his children and grandchildren. Buttons was a visionary, entrepreneur, and a man ahead of his time.He is survived by his children, Becky Watkins, Suzanne Cooper, and Bowie Howard all of Lubbock and Lisa Stuart, and spouse Bob of Fredericksburg, TX.He leaves behind eight grandchildren, Jamie D. Cooper, Micah Howard, Tasha Cathey, Ashley Varnell, Morgan Howard, Reagan Stuart, Luke Stuart, Chelsea Howard and sixteen great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Sharon Irvin, and spouse Duane.He was preceded in death by his wife, Judy; parents; brothers, Paul and Short; son, Berwin; and son-in-law, Jamie Cooper.He leaves behind a legacy of literally “pulling yourself up by your boot strap” and getting back on the horse”.