John D. Howell

John David Howell passed away at his home in HenrYetta, Oklahoma on Monday, September 1, 2019 at the age of 76. He was surrounded by his wife and three sons. He was born in Beggs, Oklahoma on September 5, 1942 to Lottie and Ed Howell, the 6th child of nine children. The family moved to rural Bakersfield, California where he grew up on small farm. He attended elementary school, and later South High in Bakersfield. He loved and was recognized in the high school choir and played “Judd” in the musical, ”Oklahoma” at his high school. In his younger years, he worked with his family picking cotton and milking cows on the family farm. He graduated in 1961 from South High with multiple music awards. Later, he moved sprinkler pipes in the farm fields. He attended the Church of God at Old River. After graduating. He met his future bride at the Old River Church of God when she came to visit her sister.
He told her the only thing he remembered aside from the beauty in her eyes was the color of his red polo shirt. Wanda Collins of Oswego, KS had traveled to California with her mother to visit her older sister Marty in LaCrescenta, CA. The sisters soon moved into a small cottage and soon found 2-3 letters per day from her new love as he worked the cotton fields. They were soon engaged and were married on June 16th, 1962.
As newlyweds, they both started working for Southern California Edison, but later moved to Ontario, CA to buy their first home. They moved to Rialto, CA where Michael was born in 1966, followed by Matthew in 1968 and moved to take their first church in the summer of 1968 to the Phoenix area.
He worked for APS as a lineman, as well as pastoring the church. Church leaders asked him if he was willing to take a struggling church in Flagstaff, AR. He continued his work with APS as well as the challenges of this new church. While living in Flagstaff, he bought Candyland, where the young couple learned the art of candy making. Wanda hand-dipped many of the candies in chocolate as they were made. Once again, they were asked again to move to take a young church in Winslow, AR. And he continued his work with APS. While in Winslow, they adopted a newborn baby boy and named him David. They moved to Prescott, AR for a brief period with APS, then moved to Independence, KS in 1971 to pastor the Church of God, where he soon realized the need existed to build a new church building. He continued to work with the utility company as well as the church. Joplin, Mo soon became our new home, where his wife opened TLC day care with the church. Following a brief move to Missouri, we moved to Olney, Texas, where he continued his work with the utility company as well as the church. From Olney, they moved to Grandbury, TX where he and Michael worked for a brief time installing electrical systems in the nuclear power plant in Glen Rose, TX. Following this adventure, they moved to Frost, Texas and continued his work in the electrical field as well as the church. They moved to Clute, TX and pastored the church. A move to Tennessee for a brief rest period, then moved to New Mexico for his 12th pastorate in Las Cruces, NM. Deciding it was time to step down from the ministry, he worked for INTEL as a QC inspector in Rio Rancho, NM. The decision to fully retire was made in 2006 and bought a small acreage in Henryetta, Ok and began raising cattle for personal use. In 2009, he was asked to fill in at the Church of God in town and continued in that role up to the time of his death.
The loves of his life were his opportunities to share the news about Jesus to anyone he met, as well as his love for little children as well as biscuits and gravy. OU Football, the Dallas Cowboys and the Lone Ranger were his favorites, as well as his love of gardening. He loved to sing worship songs to Christ as he drove his tractor in the pasture. Laughing with people, as well as teasing others with his missing finger provided many moments of hilarity for him. There wasn’t a tool or a machine he couldn’t fix, one way or another. He loved playing games with his dogs Sassy and Buddy.
John was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Geore, Carl, Bobby, & Troy, also by one adult sister, Grace Bryson and as a baby sister.

He is survived by his wife of the home, Wanda; his eldest son Michael and wife Cheryl of Bonner Springs, KS; his son Matthew and wife Amber of Cleveland, TN; and son David and wife Lisa of Colorado Springs, Co.
He was blessed with seven grandchildren, Christopher Howell & wife Crystal of Claycomo, Missouri; Stephanie Karl & husband Charles of Kansas City, Kansas;
Justin Howell & wife Lisa of Basehor, Kansas; Allison Howell & fiance', Michael Ward of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Ashley Howell of Colorado Springs, Colorado;
Raffe Howell of Cleveland Tennessee; Tessa Howell of Cleveland, Tennessee;
Nine great grandchildren, Andrew Felix, Taylor Gray, Dalton Felix, Joey & Jacob Karl, Landon Howell, Jaxon Howell, Emma Howell, & Lucas Howell;
Two sisters, Frances Webb of Scroggins, Texas;
Susie Lutzker of Henryetta;
One brother, Jimmy Howell of Germany;
His church members and a host of dear relatives and friends across the United States.
Viewing for John will be from 12:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday, September 6th, 2019 at Integrity Funeral Service. The family will be present to greet friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Pallbearers will be, Michael Howell, Matthew Howell, David Howell, Raffe Howell, Michael Ward, & Timothy Berg.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 7th, 2019 at Integrity Funeral Home Chapel located at 410 East Trudgeon, in Henryetta, OK, with Rev. Geoffrey Bretches, officiating.
Burial will be in Oswego Cemetery following the service at the Oswego, Kansas under direction of Integrity Funeral Service.