.png)
Veteran, Family Man:
The Story of Robert Ward Jr.
Robert Ward Jr., veteran and owner of R&W Pawn Shop in Silsbee, stands in front of the longtime family business that has served the community for more than 42 years.
Submitted Photo | The Silsbee Bee
Jalaina Harris jalaina@silsbee-bee.com The Silsbee Bee SILSBEE — For more than 4 decades, Our very own R&W Pawn shop has remained rooted in family, honesty and service for our community, Now led by veteran Robert Ward Jr., R&W Pawn Shop continues carrying on traditions that began long before him while reflecting the values he learned during his years in the military. Robert Ward Jr, a Silsbee native, served four years in the Air Force and six years in the Texas International Guard. He said his decision to join the military came from his love of flying, and wanting to see the world and deep love for his country. His time in service shaped the person and businessman he would later become. “It taught me to be patient, observant and more caring,” Ward said. Returning home after military service was not easy. Ward described the experience as a “culture shock” while trying to readjust to civilian life. Today, Ward oversees a business that has been part of the community for 42 years. Originally started by his father as an antique business, R&W Pawn Shop has grown into a familiar local business known for treating customers like family. Ward said the support from the community throughout the years has remained strong because of the honesty and relationships built with customers. “It’s a mom-and-pop business,” Ward said. “We can and will give complete honesty.” Ward also credits his military background for helping shape the way he operates the business today, saying it helped him become more organized while also growing his appreciation for weapons and antiques. Ward said Memorial Day serves as an important reminder each year of those who served and sacrificed for the country. “It reminds us of the great sacrifices of our forefathers and the veterans before us,” he said. Faith and family continue to keep Ward motivated each day. “I’ve been blessed so many times and don’t know how I made it, but I do know how I made it is the Lord,” Ward said. As someone whose family dates back to some of the earliest settlers in Silsbee, Ward said he hopes people remember the respect and honesty shown through both him and his business. “We treat everyone with respect and like part of the family,” Ward said. “We will always have their best interest at heart and always be truthful.” For younger generations, Ward offered simple but meaningful advice. “Always have patience, work hard and you will move up,” he said. “Keep God in your heart and He will help you.”
“History Walking in Time”
Ernest and Sonja Howard stand beside one of their “Howard Trucking”, 18-wheeler, Outside their Home
Jalaina Harris | The Silsbee Bee
Jalaina Harris jalaina@silsbee-bee.com The Silsbee Bee SILSBEE — That is how Ernest Lee Howard is described by those around him, a man whose life has been shaped by decades of hard work and determination, reflecting the true spirit of Silsbee. Born in August 1949, Howard has spent nearly his entire life in Hardin County, building a strong and unforgettable reputation through trucking. Sitting beside his wife, Sonja Howard, he reflected on a lifetime shaped by hard work and growing up during segregation-era Southeast Texas, a time when opportunities for black students were limited and leaving home was sometimes the only way to build a better future. When Howard was younger, Silsbee did not offer a GED program for Black students, forcing him to travel to Houston to continue his education. Even then, he said slowing down was never an option. Over the years, Howard worked wherever opportunity called. He hauled ice for the local ice house in Silsbee, worked at Kirby Lumber Mill, spent time at a plant in Houston and worked for Jake Tire Service in Beaumont before eventually finding his place in the trucking business, where he still works on and drives 18-wheelers today. Howard recalled how one of his cousins approached him with a business idea involving a truck. All he needed was $500 to get started. He turned to his mother. “She gave me the $500,” Howard said. “And I just been going from there.” Now in his 70s, Howard still wakes up every morning ready to work. “Bills,” Howard joked when asked what keeps him going, before adding, “Need more, want more.” But for Howard, work has never just been about money. It is about staying active, independent and having purpose each day. “I’ll retire when they put me in the ground,” Howard said with a laugh. “I’ll retire then.” Howard believes staying active is one of the keys to a long life. “When you retire, you start getting old,” he said. “Don’t want to get up. One day you want to get up and you can’t get up… Father Time’s got you.” That same mindset is what he hopes younger generations will understand. “Working ain’t never killed nobody,” he said. “Keeps them active, keeps them alive.” When asked about the greatest lesson life has taught him, Howard answered. “If you find someone that thinks they know everything, you turn and run like a fool,” Howard said. “No matter how old you are, you can always learn something new.” Though Howard admitted the body changes with age, slowing down is something he refuses to do. “I can go where I want to go, work when I want to work, sit when I want to sit,” he said. “Ernest won’t let Ernest down.” Even after decades behind the wheel and years of hard labor, Howard said he still plans to keep doing what he does best. “I’m the best of the best,” he said proudly, referring to his trucking experience. Still, among all the stories, jobs and years spent on the road, Howard Howard’s proudest accomplishment was not tied to work at all. “Being able to say good morning every morning,” he said softly, glancing over at his wife. Howard has spent decades building a name and reputation behind the wheel with many of the truckers who have crossed paths with him over the years, Ernest Lee Howard is more than just a truck driver. He is simply “history walking in time.”
