James A Howell

Jimmy was born on January 16, 1941, to parents Corbett M. and Lera V. Howell in Pea Ridge, Mississippi. He grew up in a family that showed their love through giving, food, work, and especially through the fellowship of music. The Howell household was always the place to be for guitar picking and the brothers singing perfect harmony together. A strong work ethic was bred into him from an early age when he picked cotton to help support the family, sometimes in lieu of going to school during the harvest season.

While attending West Tallahatchie High School in Webb, Mississippi, he worked at the local bowling alley resetting pins. In March 1958, at the age of 17, Jimmy enlisted in the United States Army as a private.

While stationed in Alaska he joined the ranks of those who are and always will be known as the “Arctic Warriors.” Most importantly, it was there that Jimmy met Maxine Tims who always called him “the love of her life.” She declared she was going to marry him the night they met, and she was correct. They were married on January 6, 1961 in the chapel at Fort Richardson. Over the next 10 years, along with several tours of duties overseas including Korea and Vietnam, they were blessed with 2 sons and 1 daughter.

Jimmy earned his BBA at Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San Germán while stationed at Ramey Air Force Base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico from 1973 to 1976. With less than 2 years left in his army career path, he chose to take his final assignment at Fort Hood, Texas. On March 31, 1978, after 20 years of service, Captain Howell retired from the U.S. Army and soon began a new career at Texas Instruments in Temple, Texas. While continuing his career at Texas Instruments, Jimmy and Maxine seized on a business opportunity created by technological changes and co-owned Family Video, one of the first “Mom & Pop” video rental stores in Temple.

Jimmy’s beautiful singing voice was enjoyed by crowds all over Central Texas and beyond. For a few years he performed as Jim Howell and the Texas Six-Pack, a local country-western band he formed with friends and family. He is fondly remembered even more so as the featured country singer with the popular local Czech and country dance band, Jerry Haisler and the Melody 5.

In 1998, he retired from Texas Instruments after 20 years to become a full-time grandpa. In addition to being a full-time grandpa, Jimmy developed into quite the woodworking and glass artist while regularly indulging his family and friends with his incomparable world-famous homemade fudge. He nurtured and cared for Maxine during her protracted 9-year battle with ovarian cancer until she passed in September 2012.

Jimmy found love again with Linda M. Burnette, who became Linda M. Howell when they married November 30, 2013 in her hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi. This new phase of Jimmy’s life expanded his family with Linda’s own 3 adult children and 3 new grandchildren for him to spoil. After 4 years in Mississippi, Jimmy and Linda moved together back to Temple with their sweet puppy, Bella.

Jimmy was known for his big heart. Nothing brought a bigger smile to his face than holding a precious baby. The idiom “he’d give you the clothes off his back” fit no one more perfectly than Jimmy. He was giving to a fault. If he had it within his means to give you anything that would make your life better, all you had to do was ask. Although oftentimes he did not even wait for you to ask and you just had to be humble enough to say “thank you.” There were never any strings attached to his giving. In his last years, even into his last weeks, his daily self-indulgence was early morning breakfast with a small circle of close friends. He loved the breakfast tacos at local restaurant Camino Real where they came to know him as well as the Cheers gang knew Norm. The greatest joys in his life were his children and his grandchildren who were so special to him. Tears of joy came as easily to Jimmy as tears of sadness come to his family today.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Corbett and Lera Howell, his brothers Guy, Lawrence, Paul, and Byron, and his sister Mildred (Bill) Ward. Jimmy was also preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Maxine Tims Howell, and his beloved grandson Logan James Howell.

Jimmy is survived by his and Maxine’s children, Jim Howell and wife, Mindy, of Georgetown, Tx; Keith Howell and wife, Toni, and their children, Isaac and Hannah of Georgetown, Tx; and Cheri Howell of Austin, Tx. He is also survived by his loving wife of almost 7 years, Linda M. Howell of Temple, Tx, his step-children Greg Burnette and wife, Jodie, and their son, Jae of Mooreville, Ms; Wes Burnette and wife, Chastity, and their daughter, Abby, of Brookhaven, Ms; and Cindy Burnette and her daughter, McKenzy of Temple, Tx.

Due to his love and concern for others regarding COVID-19, there will not be a funeral service but Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple will be helping the family with all memorial and ceremonial arrangements. Captain Howell will be laid to rest at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, Texas.

Jimmy requested that any memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a charity dear to his heart.