Frank A. Howard

Frank "Frankie" Alden Howard (December 1, 1938 – July 27, 2020) was an American law enforcement officer and politician who served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2008 to 2020. Prior to his service in the state legislature he served as the deputy sheriff in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, and later as sheriff from 1976 to 2000.

Frank A. Howard
Frank A. Howard in 1956
Member of the
Louisiana House of Representatives
from the 24th district
In office
January 15, 2008 – January 13, 2020
Preceded byJoe R. Salter
Succeeded byRodney Schamerhorn
Sheriff of Vernon Parish, Louisiana
In office
July 1, 1976 – June 30, 2000
Succeeded bySam Craft
Personal details
Born
Frank Alden Howard

(1938-12-01)December 1, 1938
Hornbeck, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedJuly 27, 2020(2020-07-27) (aged 81)
Alexandria, Louisiana, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (1976–2007)
Republican (2007–2020)
Spouse(s)
Pauline Cavanaugh
​
(
m. 1961; died 2015)

Macel McInnis Anderson
​
(
m. 2017; his death 2020)
Children4
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1961–1963
Unit49th Armored Division
Battles/warsCuban Missile Crisis[1]

Howard was born in Hornbeck, Louisiana and received his education at the National Sheriffs' Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles and Louisiana State University during the 1970s. He entered politics with his appointment as Town Marshal of Hornbeck to fill the vacancy created by his father's death and later his appointment as deputy sheriff. In 1976, he won election as the Vernon Parish, Louisiana which he would serve as until 2000. In 2007, he won election to the Louisiana House of Representatives and served until he was term limited in 2020.

Early life and education
Frank Howard while on the basketball team in high school

Frank Alden Howard was born on December 1, 1938, in Hornbeck, Louisiana, to Robert Howard and Essie Brown.[2] From November 1961 to November 1963, he served in the United States Army and was assigned in the 49th Armored Division.[1]

He graduated from Hornbeck High School and attended the National Sheriffs' Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1978.[3][4] He later took continuing education courses at Louisiana State University.[5]

Career

Alderman

In 1966, Howard was elected as a member of the city council in Hornbeck, Louisiana.[6]

Law enforcement

Elections

In June 1975, Howard resigned as deputy sheriff to run for sheriff of Vernon Parish and announced that he would run on July 27.[7][8] Howard placed first in the jungle primary, and ran unopposed in the general election after his competitor, Bert A. Adams withdrew from the election on November 10.[9][10] He took office on July 1, 1976, and was a member of the Democratic Party.[11][3]

In 1979, Howard placed first ahead of six candidates in the jungle primary and defeated Oscar Haymon in the general election.[12][13] During the 1983 elections he ran for reelection unopposed.[14] In 1987, he defeated Scotty McCloud, a former member of the Louisiana State Police who commanded Troop H.[15][16] During the 1991 elections he ran for reelection unopposed.[17] In 1995, he defeated Teresa Rushing Miller.[18][19]

In 1999, Howard announced that he would not seek reelection and would not run for a seat in the Louisiana Senate against incumbent Democratic Senator David Cain.[20] He was succeeded by Sam Craft.[21]

Tenure

In 1960, Howard was appointed to serve as the Town Marshal of Hornbeck to fill the vacancy created by his father's death.[22][23] In 1961, Howard became the deputy sheriff in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, and served for 15 years.[2][24]

In 1976, Howard and nineteen other attorneys, law enforcement agents, mayors, and judges were appointed to the Red River Delta Law Enforcement Planning Council.[25]

From 1978 to 1979, Howard created a deficit in the police department of $70,536 after spending $811,559 against the existing $53,023 surplus and the $687,499 in funding.[26] From 1979 to 1980, the deficit rose to $157,811 after $843,647 was spent against $815,623 in funding. Howard was criticized for his expense report being three months late and was advised to prepare formal budgets to prevent further deficits.[27] In 1988, Joe Burris, the legislative auditor, criticized Howard for not complying with state laws for seizure and sale of movable property to collect delinquent taxes, but Howard claimed that there were no delinquent taxes.[28]

On September 24, 1978, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Louisiana Fire Marshal Daniel L. Kelly requesting for the Vernon Parish jail to be closed for unsafe conditions and accusing Howard and the Vernon Parish Police Jury of failing to comply with orders issued on July 12, 1979.[29] However, on October 3, Judge Ted Broyles, of the 30th Judicial District, dismissed the case and the Vernon Parish Policy Jury stated that the fire marshal had taken "a shot at the sheriff with a politically motivated suit".[30]

In June 1980, Dallas Gene Hayes was arrested at his place of work and was later fired the next day for the incident. On March 26, 1981, Hayes filed a civil rights lawsuit for $105,000 in damages against Howard and James Bosley claiming that Title 42 of the Civil Rights Act had been violated as he was arrested without an arrest warrant, not given his Miranda warning, and was forced to take a polygraph test. However, Howard and Bosely claimed that Hayes had come to the sheriff's office on his own, that he was given a voice-stress analyzer and not a polygraph, that he had been given an arrest and Miranda warning, and that Howard had not known of the incident. On October 14, U.S. District Judge Nauman Scott dismissed the case against Howard, but not the case against Bosely.[31][32]

From 1996 to 1997, Howard served as the Second Vice President of the Louisiana Sheriff Association and later as the First Vice President from 1998 to 1999.[33][34] From 1999 to 2000, he served as president of the association.[35]

State legislature

Elections
The 24th district in the Louisiana House of Representatives during Frank Howard's tenure

In 2007, Howard ran for the 24th district in the Louisiana House of Representatives as a Republican. He placed first in the primary ahead of Mary Ann Wiggins and defeated her in the general election.[36][37] In 2015, he defeated Rodney Schamerhorn in the jungle primary.[38]

In 2019, Howard was unable to seek reelection due to term limits.[39] Rodney Schamerhorn was elected to succeed him and took office on January 13, 2020.[40]

Tenure

During the 2008–2010 session of the Louisiana House of Representatives, Howard served on the Transportation, Agriculture, and Criminal Justice committees.[41][42] By 2016, he was the oldest sitting member of the House of Representatives.[43]

In 2008, Howard voted against legislation that would increase the salaries of members of the Louisiana State Legislature.[44] The Criminal Justice committee voted 11 to four, with Howard voting against, in favor of legislation that would allow college students to have concealed carry weapons on campus.[45] In 2012, the Louisiana House of Representatives voted 61 to 41, with Howard in favor, in favor of legislation that would create statewide school vouchers and increase the number of charter schools.[46]

Personal life

In 1961, Howard married Pauline Cavanaugh, with whom he had four children. Pauline died in 2015, and he remarried to Macel McInnis Anderson in 2017.[2]

Howard died in Alexandria, Louisiana, on July 27, 2020, at the age of 81 due to complications of COVID-19.[47][48][2] Upon Howard's death, Governor John Bel Edwards released a tribute to Howard and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at the Louisiana State Capitol and other state buildings.[49]

Electoral history
1966 Hornbeck, Louisiana, alderman election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Nonpartisan Frank Howard 161 19.26%
Nonpartisan H. G. Herring 141 16.87%
Nonpartisan Bobbie G. Dowden (incumbent) 137 16.39%
Nonpartisan A. L. Brooks 136 16.27%
Nonpartisan Jack Malone (runoff) 114 13.64%
Nonpartisan Kenneth Baggs (runoff) 98 11.72%
Nonpartisan Cobrun Baggs (incumbent) 49 5.86%
Total votes 836 100.00%
1979 Sheriff of Vernon Parish, Louisiana, jungle primary[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Nonpartisan Frank A. Howard (incumbent) 5,523 44.22%
Nonpartisan Oscar Haymon 1,896 15.18%
Nonpartisan Malcolm Smart 1,693 13.55%
Nonpartisan Jodie Dowden 1,257 10.06%
Nonpartisan P.W. Hilton 1,039 8.32%
Nonpartisan Allen Dale Turner 790 6.32%
Nonpartisan Lewis M. Smith 293 2.35%
Total votes 12,491 100.00%
1979 Sheriff of Vernon Parish, Louisiana, election[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Nonpartisan Frank A. Howard (incumbent) 7,135 57.72%
Nonpartisan Oscar Haymon 5,226 42.28%
Total votes 12,361 100.00%
1995 Sheriff of Vernon Parish, Louisiana, jungle primary[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Nonpartisan Frank A. Howard (incumbent) 9,373 76.71%
Nonpartisan Teresa Rushing Miller 2,845 23.29%
Total votes 12,218 100.00%
2007 Louisiana House of Representatives 24th district jungle primary[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Frank Howard (incumbent) 4,442 31.01%
Democratic Mary Ann Wiggins 3,968 27.70%
Democratic Dean Crittenden 3,492 24.38%
Democratic Randy" Sandel 2,422 16.91%
Total votes 14,324 100.00%
2007 Louisiana House of Representatives 24th district election[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Frank Howard (incumbent) 4,333 52.64%
Democratic Mary Ann Wiggins 3,898 47.36%
Total votes 8,231 100.00%
2015 Louisiana House of Representatives 24th district jungle primary[38]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Frank Howard (incumbent) 7,274 58.74%
Republican Rodney Schamerhorn 5,109 41.26%
Total votes 12,383 100.00%
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See also

References
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  2. "Frank Alden "Frankie" Howard obituary". Leesville Daily Ledger. July 28, 2020. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020.
  3. "Party and Military". The Times. October 20, 1979. p. 6. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Sheriffs Attend Institute". The Town Talk. March 21, 1978. p. 9. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Howard Enters Race For Sheriff in Vernon". The Town Talk. July 22, 1975. p. 1. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Hornbeck, Louisiana alderman". The Town Talk. April 11, 1966. p. 20. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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  8. "Howard Announces". The Town Talk. July 27, 2000. p. 16. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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  10. "Vernon Candidate Withdraws". The Town Talk. November 11, 1975. p. 15. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Sheriff Speaks". The Town Talk. July 9, 1976. p. 5. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "1979 primary results". The Times. October 29, 1979. p. 3. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "1979 election results". The Times. December 10, 1979. p. 17. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "No opponents 1983". The Town Talk. July 26, 1983. p. 2. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.;"Unopposed 1983". The Times. July 30, 1983. p. 4. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "8 incumbent sheriffs in area face opposition". The Town Talk. July 23, 1987. p. 34. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "1987 election results". The Town Talk. October 28, 1987. p. 41. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Tax collector's work criticized". The Town Talk. September 8, 1991. p. 12. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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  21. "'Smooth as silk'". The Town Talk. June 28, 2000. p. 12. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. "De Ridder Man Is Commissioned Judge". The Shreveport Journal. January 22, 1960. p. 11. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. "Sheriff Howard announces for re-election". The Oakdale Journal. August 13, 1987. p. 8. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. "Former Vernon Parish state lawmaker and sheriff has died". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
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  35. "President". The Crowley Post-Signal. August 11, 1999. p. 7. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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  38. "2015 election results". Archived from the original on July 29, 2020.
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  40. "Representative Rodney Schamerhorn takes oath of office". The Sabine Index. January 13, 2020. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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  48. Barnhart, Kevin. "Vernon Parish political icon Frank Howard passes away". louisianaradionetwork.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  49. "Gov. Edwards Releases Statement on the Passing of Former Rep. Frank Howard | Office of Governor John Bel Edwards". gov.louisiana.gov. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
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