Eugene Dee Howell, 93, of Royse City, formerly of Quinlan, Fort Worth, Amarillo, Texas and Cape Girardeau, Missouri, passed away on February 3, 2021 in Rockwall, Texas. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Coker-Mathews Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Howell was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri on February 26, 1927 to Perry Alfonso Howell and Ethel Edith Dockins Howell. He married Dorothy Lee Howell on March 16, 1946 in Jackson, Missouri, who preceded him in death in 2012. He married Robbie Gay Davis Howell on June 2, 2013 in Caddo Mills, Texas. Gene served in the United States Army. He worked as a Technical Writer at General Dynamics in Fort Worth, Texas and a Math Instructor for the United States Air Force in Amarillo, Texas. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Fate, Texas and a lifelong Southern Baptist.
Gene was a tireless servant in many churches over the course of his life. For over seventy years he served as a lay music minister, and in that capacity led countless numbers of people, especially young people, to develop their musical gifts under his guiding hand and voice. He was also an avid softball pitcher, and his curveball made many a hitter look foolish. He was fascinated by the English language in general, and its quirks in particular, and delighted in conversations about the latter with his grandchildren. He loved to travel, he loved to solve Sudoku puzzles, and he loved to tell stories about growing up in southeast Missouri. He loved his family and friends, and he loved Jesus.Gene is survived by his wife, Robbie Gay Davis Howell; daughters, Karen Howell Clinkscale and husband, David and Sherry Howell Ryan and husband, Richard; son, Brian Keith Howell and wife, Tracey; sisters, Sue Howell Cox and husband John, and Faye Howell Seifrit; grandchildren, Casey Chaney, Brian Clinkscale, Rebekah Grubbs, Cory Clinkscale, Leslie Walsh, Emily LaRue, Aaron Howell, Jeremiah Howell, Jacob Howell; ten great-grandchildren; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Lee Howell; his parents; brother, Benny Gerald Howell and sister, Lecy Erlene Iezzi.Memorials may be made to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch in memory of Gene.
