Howard was married to Josephine "Josie" Barry (1906-1990), herself a niece of Tipperary hurler Frank McGrath, and the couple had six children: Kathleen, Pat, Jo, Liz, Ann and Garry.
Howard died at Dannell Nursing Home, Borrisokane on 20 January 1995, the last surviving member of the All-Ireland-winning Limerick and Dublin teams of the 1920s and 1930s.