Howard and his wife Helen Mabel Lehan opened a feed store in Tombstone in 1949 and then the Lindsey's Hardware store in 1951. They started the Cochise Garden Center Nursery in 1958, which served all of Cochise County. From 1963 to 1985, Howard ran Boothill Graveyard and built part of the existing building. He became a life member of the American Legion Roy Fourr Post No. 24 in 1947 where he served as commander from 1951-52 and was chaplain for several years. He was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans Association.

 From 1966 to 1968, Howard was the city magistrate for the city of Tombstone and fire chief for the Tombstone Voluntary Fire Department. He was a Tombstone City Council member for Ward III and served on the Tombstone Unified School District School Board during the 1960s. Howard was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the B.P.O. Elks. He was one of the first founding members of the Tombstone Vigilantes in 1947 and was instrumental in writing the scripts for the reenactments; he also played several character roles. In 1971 he was Helldorado's parade marshal and was involved in many civic-minded projects for the city of Tombstone.