Profile: Howard and Alma Earehart

By Bev Davis
Register-Herald Senior Editor

May 17, 2008 09:24 pm

— Howard and Alma Earehart say they believe a Divine Hand brought them together nearly 53 years ago.
Howard took her sister out on a date, but while he was waiting, he saw Alma.
“When my sister got back from her date, she said all Howard talked about was me,” Alma says, chuckling.
She and some girlfriends walked from Crab Orchard to the skating rink in MacArthur each weekend. One evening, Howard and his buddy offered them a ride home.
“My car wasn’t running too well, and I thought I might have to push it, but I took them home.”
He managed to ask Alma for a date.
“The funny thing is, I wanted the other guy to ask me out, but he didn’t,” Alma said. “I’m glad now he didn’t. Howard and I have been exactly right for each other. The Lord knew we were supposed to be together.”
Soon they were going steady, and in July 1955, they were married.
The son of a mechanic, Howard had nine siblings. He, Andy, Charlie and Bill Earehart all wound up owning car dealerships.
It wouldn’t have been Howard’s first choice, however.
“I would love to farm or to be involved in real estate,” he said wistfully. “At the time, cars were what I knew about, and the opportunities opened up, so that’s the line of work I went into.”
His second regret is that he never pursued his artistic talents.
“I’ve always been able to sit down and draw or sketch just about anything I wanted to. It’s a shame to have a gift like that and not use it,” he said.
However, one of the couple’s three sons, Seay Earehart, inherited his dad’s creative side and now works as a professional artist in Tennessee.
Houston and Mike are both car salesmen.
Work took up most of Howard’s time, and being a homemaker suited Alma just fine.
“I enjoyed raising my children. It was hectic at times, but being a mother is a rewarding career.”
There hasn’t been much time for hobbies, although both enjoyed golfing for a number of years.
The couple now owns Earehart Motors Pre-Owned Vehicles on Johnstown Road.
The motivating force in their lives, however, is their faith in God.
“I only regret that I didn’t give my heart to the Lord earlier in life,” Alma said.
Although both had been reared in church, they experienced dramatic conversions later in life. Alma had made a profession of faith at age 13 at Crab Orchard Baptist Church, where the late Rev. Shirley Donnelly was pastor for many years. Howard was an active member of United Methodist Temple in Beckley.
Invited by a friend to a revival service at Calvary Assembly of God in 1989, the Eareharts didn’t know quite what to make of the strange new kind of preaching and the healing service that followed.
“The meeting had been held over for two nights, and we went that first night,” Alma said. “I wanted to go back the second night. Howard didn’t really want to go, but he knew I wouldn’t go by myself, so he went with me.”
She had been experiencing back problems and wanted to go to the altar for prayer during the healing service. Being a good husband, Howard went down with her and nudged her to the area where he thought evangelist Ann Pia would get to them first. Instead, Pia started praying with people all the way at the opposite end of the line.
Alma asked the evangelist to pray for healing of her back and says she experienced not only a healing but a charismatic experience that changed her life.
A month later, when Pia returned to hold a revival at the Raleigh County Armory, Howard “turned his life over to the Lord.”
“I can’t explain it, but that night changed my life forever,” he said. “It changed me completely.”
A few weeks later, Howard was leaving for work but something stopped him in his tracks. “I heard the Lord tell me He wanted three crosses out in front of the driveway.” He went back in and tried to dismiss the strange notion.
“The second time I went out I clearly heard His voice again, and I knew one thing for sure — He wanted three crosses out front.”
He bought 12-foot wooden beams and loaded them on a small Toyota pickup. While unloading them, one of the beams fell on his leg.
“I thought sure it was broken,” Howard said, “but I felt like I had to get the crosses built and get them up.”
By the time he had finished, there was no pain in his leg and no bruise.
“It just had to be the Lord. There’s no other explanation, because that beam hit me really hard,” Howard said.
During hard times, the couple turned to the Bible for help and encouragement.
“There’s never been a time when the Lord didn’t give us just what we needed at the time,” Alma said. “Whether it was a financial need or strength to get through something or just the assurance He was with us, we always found the Lord to be faithful. My only regret about my life is that I didn’t find the Lord sooner.”
Both are facing some health issues, but say they believe in the Lord’s healing power.
“We know the Lord will see us through just like He always has. Our part is just to trust Him and let Him have His way in our lives,” Alma said.
The couple became involved in Bible studies together and with other members of the community. They joined the MacArthur Church of God, which later became the Family Worship Center on Pinewood Drive, where they are now active members.
— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com

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