Justice of the Peace Eddie Howard Retiring After 30-Year Career in San Angelo

SAN ANGELO, TX — In 1994, Eddie Howard decided to run for the office of Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 in Tom Green County.

It was the start of a 30-year career that is heading into its final days.

Howard recently announced his retirement, which could come as soon as Jan. 7, though he won’t officially leave office until his replacement is sworn in.

Howard, who is 74 years old, said he simply felt it was the right time to retire.

“I’ve been told by many, many of my Justice of the Peace friends that one day you’ll wake up and you’ll know it’s time, and that’s all I can tell you,” Howard said. “I still love my job. I still love the people I work with. I’m not running to anything, and I’m not running away from anything.

“My mind just tells me this is time for me to retire.”

A retirement reception for Howard will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in the Commissioners Courtroom on the second floor of the Judge Edd B. & Frances Frink Keyes Building, 113 W. Beauregard Ave.

The County Commissioners Court is scheduled to appoint Howard’s replacement that same day to complete his term, which runs through 2026.

Anyone interested in seeking the appointment can submit a letter of intent and resume to the County’s Human Resources Department, which is located at 113 W. Beauregard Ave. The deadline is Jan. 3.

Howard, who is from Lawton, Oklahoma, arrived in San Angelo in 1978 as a youth pastor. After about 12 years in that role, he spent a few years in real estate.

What pushed him in the direction of becoming a Justice of the Peace was having two friends, Ed Harris and Jerry Jennison, who were JPs.

“I spent a lot of time with them over the years, and I just came to have an affection for the job. It seemed like a very good job,” he said. “I always tell people that for an ADD kid, being a Justice of the Peace is the best job you can have, because you do something different all the time. Every day is different. So it just kind of met my personality, I guess.

“I ran for office and I was elected, and I’ve been fortunate to not ever have an opponent run against me. I was very fortunate over the years.”

A Justice of the Peace is an official appointed to hear minor cases, perform marriages and grant licenses, among other responsibilities.

“Of course, all people think about is marrying and burying, and we do marry people and then we do an inquest on people when they pass away. But there’s a whole lot of things in between,” Howard said. “We have traffic tickets, and we have truancy cases, evictions, licensing laws, small claims up to $20,000. … 

“Just about anything that affects a person’s life, a JP could have a part in that through some aspect of our job.”

Through 30 years, Howard said he has loved his job, the people he has worked with, and the chance to help others.

“There’s some sad things, but there’s a lot of joy, a lot of help that you give people. Sometimes, you don’t even know you’ve helped them. I’ve had people come back in the court and ask to see me, and all they wanted was to say thank you for the help or direction I gave them. …

“I’ve met people I married 20 or 25 years ago, and it’s a joy to talk with them and see their kids and all that. And the people I’ve worked with, all of the clerks, they’ve just been the best people in the whole world.”