Billy Jack Howell

Billy “Jack” Howell, a 35 year resident of Georgetown, a 30 year resident of Baytown, and a 25 year resident of multiple South Texas towns, moved to his permanent home and residence on March 5, 2016 after a long battle that he graciously fought to the finish.

He was born to Clint and Pearl Howell in Killeen, Texas on February 24, 1926. Jack loved to reminisce of his childhood days: spending summers on his grandparents’ ranch, keeping a salt shaker in his pocket for freshly picked tomatoes. Growing up in San Antonio, he spoke of riding his bicycle across town to work and nearly dying after putting his arm through a glass window while trying to stop his bike. The deep scar on his arm was a reminder of that incident.

Jack believed in hard work. As a young man, he sold ladies’ shoes, peddled Liberty magazines, walked Boston Bulldogs, washed soldiers’ khaki pants at the dry cleaners, and waxed the wooden floors for the Abilene Christian College President.

Jack joined the US Navy during World War II, serving from 1944-1946 on the Battleship USS Butte. After coming home to Corpus Christi, he saw Janis for the first time. He amused his children (and embarrassed Janis) by telling - and retelling - the story of how he saw “that pretty little blonde girl” in church (she was 16!) and told his brother he was going to date that girl. He did just that and married Janis Jones, the “best woman in the world“, on June 6, 1948, and they celebrated their 67th anniversary last year.

He attended Abilene Christian College, delivered milk for Borden’s, managed a Humble Gas Station when gas was $.27 a gallon and he sold paint and made picture frames at Sherwin Williams. Jack and Janis spent 30 years in Baytown where they raised their 3 children. While there, he worked at the Exxon Refinery, served as a deacon at Lakewood Church of Christ, drove the church bus, took the church youth group to activities and arranged trips to Abilene Christian Teachers’ Workshop every year.

Jack was indeed the “Jack of All Trades”. He loved the Lord, loved his church work and enjoyed every moment as the greeter at church. He was a true do-it-yourself man who always had a project of some kind. Some of those included raising guppies in old refrigerator liners in the garage, tending to bee hives, tying hammocks, working jigsaw puzzles, making shrimp nets, and catching and bringing home fresh shrimp out of the Gulf.

After retirement, Jack served as an elder at Georgetown Church of Christ, sold real estate, worked in an archery shop, golfed, rode his bicycle from Georgetown to Inks Lake, raised sheep, and built 2 houses mostly by himself. One story he enjoyed telling was about what he would do when he got to a stage he didn’t know how to complete. He would drive around Georgetown until he found a house that was in the same stage of building that his house was in, and would study it to learn how he should complete the next step! He loved his backyard and spent hours gardening, swinging on his porch swing, building koi ponds and walkways, watching the birds and dreaming of more backyard “improvements“.

Pop loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They will remember his extra special waffles, attending their special events, sending them home with a pocketful of rocks, riding around on his walker, looking at their ring finger to see if any diamonds had appeared, riding his tractor, helping feed the sheep, frying shrimp, and witnessing how much he loved Nanny.

His family will remember him as a man who was a dreamer-schemer, who felt so good he could ‘wrestle a bear’, a dad who always believed in them and a man who had the spirit of a kindergarten boy with a mischievous grin. During the last months of his life, thanks to Sharon Cole, he delighted in eating jelly beans, which he would confess would spoil his appetite. Janis bribed him to take his medicine, with the promise of jelly beans.

He is survived by his wife, Janis, who lovingly dedicated her life to him, daughter and son-in-law Nancy and Don Miller of Brady TX, daughter and son-in-law Lynda and Gerald Bishop of Georgetown, son and fiancé David Howell and April Novak of Clear Lake City, TX, grandchildren Jeff Strome and wife Gabbie of Cross Roads, TX, Stacy Rice and husband Shane of Denver, Lindsay McVey and husband Josh, Josh Bishop and wife Emily of Irving, TX, Brian Howell and wife Angela of The Woodlands, TX, and Clint Bishop and fiancé Katy Dennis of Euless, TX. Great-grandchildren are Grace and Jeremy Rice, Mia and Mason McVey, and Ruby and Daniel Howell.

He is also survived by his sister-in-law and husband, Laverne and Joe Fitch, brother-in-law and wife, Gerald and Patty Jones, sister-in-law Dorothy Howell, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 12, at 2:00 at The Gabriel’s Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to World Bible School, PO Box 2169, Cedar Park, TX 78630-2169, (512) 345-8190, or to Scott and White Hospice, 2401 South 31st St., Temple TX 76508, (254) 724-4090.

The family would like to thank the Scott and White Hospice Team for the comforting care they provided and for the members of the Westside Church of Christ for their encouragement and support.