Johnnie Lenora Jackson Howell, age 87, died Sunday, July 27, 2014, at the Falfurrias Nursing Home, Falfurrias, Texas, following a long illness. Johnnie lived her entire life in the Premont/Falfurrias area. Johnnie was born December 19, 1926, to Jesse Walton (Jess) Jackson and Laynie Lee Mynier Jackson, who were farming at the time in the La Copita area of southeastern Duval County. Johnnie, however, was born in Beeville at the home of her great-grandparents, where her mother was staying in order to be near a doctor.
Johnnie spent her early childhood in Copita and attended the Copita school, where her mother taught. Then, in the early 1930s, Johnnie and her parents moved to nearby Falfurrias, where her father, Jess, managed the Lasater dairy farms, ranched and traded livestock. Jess was also, for a time, Chief Deputy Sheriff for Brooks County. Johnnie attended the Falfurrias public schools and graduated from Falfurrias High School in 1944.
On September 18, 1944, Johnnie married Eugene Vincent Howell, a young dairy farmer whose farm west of Premont straddled the Jim Wells-Duval county line. Gene and Johnnie operated the dairy, farmed and ranched for the remainder of their active days. The Howell farm and the nearby Jackson ranch remain in the family. Johnnie and Gene were happily married for almost 53 years, until Gene’s death in August 1997. Johnnie will be remembered for many things, but especially for her loving and dedicated care of Gene during his long final illness. Johnnie was a long-time member of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Premont.
Johnnie was preceded in death by her loving husband, Eugene V. Howell; her parents, Jesse and Laynie Jackson; her parents-in-law, Ivah and Mary Howell; and daughter-in-law, Laura Wilkinson Howell.
Johnnie is survived by son Jesse W. Howell of Premont and grandchildren, Jason Howell and Tessa Bowman, as well as son-in-law Keith Bowman; and by son Robert I. (Bob) Howell and daughter-in-law Catherine Howell of Austin, and grandchildren, Charles Howell and John Howell. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Thomas Bowman, Lauren Bowman and Laynie Bowman. The family wishes to thank the staff of the Falfurrias Nursing Home for their excellent care of Johnnie over the past several years.
A Rosary will be recited for Johnnie at 7:00 p.m., Friday, August 1, at the Howard-Williams Funeral Home in Falfurrias.
A Requiem Mass will be held the following day, Saturday, August 2, at 10:00 a.m., at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Falfurrias. Interment will follow at the Premont Cemetery. Following the interment, the family will host a reception at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Premont Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 596, Premont, Texas 78375.
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