Colonel Howard Herbert Smith

Colonel Howard H. Smith passed peacefully after 96 years of a beautiful life.

Howard served thirty highly decorated years in the United States Air Force in the communications and security business where he held several Commander and Director positions. He is a Cold War and Vietnam veteran and member of Kerrville's VFW Post 1480.

Howard was a great lover of jazz music. For over thirty years, he worked as Director and Sponsor of the Suncoast Jazz Festival in Clearwater Beach, Florida.  He also worked to find, record and publish jazz musicians across this nation. For these efforts, he was awarded a prestigious Lifetime Patron of Jazz Award and made a life member of the Al Downing Jazz Society. 

Celebrations of his life will be held in the VFW, at the burial site in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery and finally this November at the Suncoast Jazz Festival. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the VFW Post 1480, Kerrville. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Colonel Howard Herbert Smith, please visit our floral store.