Texas judge who started in Jackson dies

Texas judge who started in Jackson dies

By ANDY SEVILLA
Associate Editor
Hays County Judge Howard Warner died Saturday at age 67.
Warner died at approximately 3 p.m. due to cancer, according to officials at Pennington Funeral Home.
“He was at CTMC (Central Texas Medical Center) earlier this week and he wasn’t doing so well,” said Lt. Leroy Opiela with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). “He was a genuinely real, highly devoted to the citizens of Hays County kind of person.”
Visitation will be held at Pennington Memorial Chapel, 323 N. Commanche Street, in San Marcos on Tuesday, July 21, from 4-7 p.m. Service will take place on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Tejas Hall at Texas Old Town, 1205 Roland Lane in Kyle.
Warner’s burial will be conducted Friday in Lewisburg, TN.
Warner was currently sitting on the bench of Hays County Court at Law No. 1, a position he held for 27 years. His four-year term was set to expire Dec. 31, 2010. Warner was appointed to his judgeship in 1982, then went on to win seven consecutive elections to the seat.
At the time of his death, Warner also served as chairman of the Hays County Juvenile Board and chairman of the Bail Bond Board.
Following is the complete text of Warner’s obituary, provided by his family:

Howard S. Warner II was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi April 26, 1942. He was the son of the late Lawrence Glover and Mable Myrtle Askew Warner. He received his high school education at Woodbury Forrest Preparatory School. He received his undergraduate degree and his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the University of Mississippi in Oxford in 1967. Howard practiced private law in Jackson, MS until February 1976 when he became a corporate attorney for Grelling Oil Company in Beeville, TX. He moved to San Marcos in September 1977 when he became the Attorney for the Director of the Hays County Legal Aid Department of the Community Action Agency. In March 1982, Warner was appointed by the Commissioner’s Court to the position of County Court at Law Judge of Hays County to finish the term of John Jackson. Judge Howard S. Warner II has served the community of San Marcos and Hays County as the County Court at Law Judge for 27 years. He served on many boards and committees for the County including being the current Chairman of the Hays County Juvenile Board and Chairman of the Bail Bond Board.
Judge Warner has been active as the Juvenile Judge for Hays County presiding over thousands of cases. As part of those duties he had the pleasure of working with many law enforcement officials, citizens and families in the community in order to serve the needs of the children of Hays County. He also taught the Juvenile Justice course at, the former, South West Texas State University in their Criminal Justice Department for several years. He served as one of the founders of the Juvenile Center.
Judge Warner was a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Hays County Bar Association and the Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas. He was a member and past president for several years of the Hays County Criminal Justice Association, and a former director of the Greater San Marcos Youth Shelter.
Judge Warner was on many BBQ Cook-Off committees and foundations for various activities that raised thousands of dollars for under privileged children in Hays County. His passion was to help those who couldn’t help themselves and to always treat people with fairness and respect. Howard loved his family and friends. He was happiest when he was surrounded with good friends, good food, and laughter. He was a great listener, a great story teller, and gave the warmest bear hugs. He was the biological father of three children but helped raise several generations of young people in Hays County. He was a mentor, a teacher, a philosopher, and a friend.

AP
7/19/9