Edward Dunbar HowardChickamauga

In Loving Memory of Edward Dunbar Howard, 86, who died on Friday March 7, 2025, in The Community Hospice Bailey Family Center in St Augustine Florida. He was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather. Born on September 12, 1938, in Chickamauga GA to Grace Ledbetter Howard Morgan and Leon Howard. Known to everyone as “Ed”, he went to school at Gordon Lee where he played football, basketball and baseball. Several years after graduating from high school he met and married the love of his life, Marilyn Hammontree. They lived in Pensacola FL for several years, while he worked his way up the management ladder at Moore Handley, a building material supply store. They started their family in Pensacola. After brief stints in Memphis TN and Chickamauga GA, they moved to Orlando FL where he became a store manager. They made Orlando their home for over 22 years and raised their 2 children there. Eventually the traffic and fast pace of Orlando motivated them to move back to their quiet hometown of Chickamauga. They lived on Marilyn’s family farm where they enjoyed retirement, raising cattle and traveling. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 41 years, Marilyn Hammontree Howard, who passed away on March 1, 2002.

In 2021 he reconnected with his high school sweetheart, Patty Daniels Eldridge. Despite being separated during most of his final years, they stayed in touch and visited whenever possible. He lived some of his remaining years happily splitting his time between Chickamauga, Cedar Town and St Augustine. Eventually moving to St Augustine to live fulltime in 2024.

He had a passion for hunting, shooting guns and being an outdoorsman. He taught NRA Gun Safety courses for over 35 years and was an excellent marksman who enjoyed sharing his knowledge of gun safety.

Survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Beverly Howard O’Nell and Mike O’Nell of St Augustine FL, along with their children Kimberly O’Nell and Evan O’Nell. Also survived by his son and daughter-in-law Tim Howard and Cindy Howard of St Cloud FL, along with their children, Austin Howard and Kaylee Howard.
A funeral to honor his life will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at noon at Wilson Family Funeral Home, on Lee Ave in Chickamauga. The family will receive visitors at 11am at the Wilson Family Funeral Home in Chickamauga, with a reception to immediately follow at the same location until 1:45. A brief service will follow graveside at Lakewood Memory Garden, South.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that you make a donation to Georgia Sheriffs Association, 1000 Sheriffs Way, Madison GA 30650 or online at georgiasheriffs.org/tribute-program. Or to The Foundation of Community Hospice, 4266 Sunbeam Rd, Jacksonville FL 32257 or online at thefoundationcares.org/give.