Jeanneane Nean Howell

Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Nean’s life was rooted in family, faith, creativity, and a love for learning and teaching. She attended the University of Texas at El Paso—known at the time as Texas Western College—where she prepared for a lifelong career in education.

After marrying Mike Howell, the couple welcomed their son, Aaron, and eventually made their home in East Texas. Nean’s dedication to teaching spanned an incredible 45 years, with 42 of those years spent in Canton ISD. She poured her heart into her work, not only instructing her students but encouraging them long after they left her classroom.

Nean treasured her family above all else. She was endlessly proud of them, often bragging about their accomplishments to anyone who would listen. She would travel at a moment’s notice just to spend time together. This love extended to her colleagues, many of whom became like family to her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Mike Howell; her parents, Dan and Dorris Cantrell; and her brother, Danny Cantrell. She is survived by her son, Aaron Howell, and his wife, Kristin, along with their children, Kinsey and Gunner Howell; her sister, Lauren Harris, and her husband, Thomas Harris; her niece, Lindsey Goforth, and her husband, Glenn Goforth, with their children, Garrett Goforth and Larsen Goforth; her niece, Amanda Ramsey, and her husband, Aaron Ramsey, with their children, Aubrie Ramsey, Abraham Ramsey, and Andrew Ramsey; her nephew, Adam Plunk, and his wife, Aliina Plunk, with their children, Ben Plunk and Ana Plunk.

Her legacy will live on through the countless lives she touched—students who found confidence in her encouragement, peers who found strength in her friendship, and family who will forever feel the joy of her humor and love.

A celebration of Nean’s life will be held on Saturday, August 16th, at 1:00 p.m. at Eubank Funeral Home in Canton, Texas. To honor her bright personality, the family invites everyone to wear something colorful in her memory.