Messages config issue? Recipient field left empty when initiated from Contact

[Brad Colwell]

Unable to auto-populate the recipient field of message (text/sms) when clicking Message icon under contact.

Open Contacts app
Click on any contact (Call/Message/Video call/details icons appear below contact)
Click on Message icon (opens Messages app to NEW MESSAGE view with cursor in the empty recipient field...wt...)

You can imagine irritation as you start typing message hit send and realize you have just typed message into recipient field, need to clean mess then click recipients icon on New Message, find and reselect the contact you already selected).

Any help appreciated as it really ...sucks. I will post solution once discovered.

Supporting info:
Device S8+
OS: Android 7.0,
App: Contacts, Version 3.1.07-31, Permissions = all including Phone, SMS, etc
App: Messages, Version 4.1.69, Permissions = all including Contacts, Phone, SMS, etc
similarly, phone icon launches phone app and calls recipient, same success with video call icon.
I have tried this with contacts with just single phone number as well as default phone number. No success.

Cheers!