Howard P. Gerard, 80, of Crellin Mine Road, Oakland, died Monday, July 7, 2008 at the VA Medical Center, Clarksburg, WV.
Born on June 12, 1928 in Keyser, WV, he was the son of the late John P. C. Gerard and Sally R. (Rice) (Davis) Gerard.  He was also preceded in death by a brother, Neil Davis and by four sisters, Nellie Grove, Daisy Leatherman, Reba Murphy and Blanche Dunson-Welch.
He was a member of the Terra Alta Assembly of God Church, Terra Alta, WV and he retired as a brakeman on the B&O Railroad.  He served as a chaplain for N.A.M.I., was a board member of M.H.A.C. and the Garrett County Lighthouse and was a member of the C.O.R.E. Service Agency.  A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he was a member of Proctor Kildow Post #71, American legion, Oakland.
He is survived by his wife, Ethel A. (Durr) Gerard; one daughter, Reba Denise Gerard, Oakland; one son, John P. Gerard, Oakland; one sister, Jennie Lee White, Terra Alta, WV; two grandsons, Anthony P. May, Oakland and Aaron M. May, Tyler, TX; two great grandchildren, T.J. and Starr and several nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received at the Stewart Funeral Home, 32 S. Second St., Oakland from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday.  Services will be held at the funeral home on Friday, July 11, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Alvin Kyle officiating.  Interment will be in the Lantz Ridge Cemetery, Amboy, WV.
Military honors will be accorded at the cemetery by members of the various veterans’ organizations in southern Garrett County and a detachment from Camp Dawson, Kingwood, WV.
The family requests that memorials take the form of contributions to the Hospice of Garrett County, P.O. Box 271, Oakland, MD  21550.