David Howell

My Father David Howell passed away early this morning - joining my Mother. Me and my brothers really did win the parent lottery twice. A lot of kids spent a lot of their childhood figuring out who their hero was, I don't think we ever had that issue. We had a Dad who fit every part of the description. He was intelligent, witty, honest - and he stuck to the things that he believed 100%, and didn't really care *at all* if you agreed. He was a big kid right until the end, I don't think I ever got a gaming console for Christmas that wasn't warm when I opened it. He was the type of Dad that would cut the wheel at 50mph to hit a dirt road just to hear the kids giggle (and my Mom panic). He took over the family business (Howell's Gulf/Shell) from his father when he was still basically a kid himself, and built it up to two locations and generations of loyal customers by being an honest and extremely talented mechanic. He raced dirt bikes in enduro races all through the lower states, and was a motorcycle enthusiast as long as it was physically possible. He loved Clint Eastwood movies, '66 Chevelles, Candy Apple red paint, and basically anything fast enough to do something dangerous on. I am not sure how good you are at Tetris, but he was probably better than you. More than all of that, he cared about the people around him in a really special way. He did, of course, deeply love his family - but he really extended that out to everywhere that he went. He pulled people out of a burning car when they rolled into his gas pump, gave free repairs and gas to people who didn't have enough, donated time and money, he literally gave jackets to people that he was wearing at the time. He was a deacon at Center Baptist Church for decades, and he was usually the first person in and the last person out every Sunday and Wednesday. He spent years in the Georgia State Defense Force doing search and rescue, and disaster recovery activities. He taught me and my brothers everything that a person would need to know to contribute to things around us being better. We're all heartbroken, but honestly he gave us everything we needed already. We'll tell the stories and keep the memories alive, and try to pass on as much as we can of what we learned."

Mr. David Howell is preceded in death by his parents, Hoyt Howell and Bonnie Howell; his wife, Caroyln Howell; and his sister, Johnnie Sue Clark.

He is survived by his sons, Tony Howell (Sharon), Timmy Howell, and Jonathan Howell (Leah); grandchildren Cody Howell, Trent Howell, Lydia Howell, and Erin Fowler; great grandchildren Irish Fowler and Jack Fowler; brother Charles Howell (Glenda); sister June Coleman; as well as several nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 3:00 pm on Monday, June 17, 2024 at Center Baptist Church in Cartersville, Georgia.  The family will receive friends from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm on Monday prior to the service.  Burial will follow in the churches cemetery.

Parnick Jennings Funeral Home & Cremation Services is honored to serve the family of Mr. David Howell; please visit www.parnickjenningsfuneral.com to share a memory and post a condolence message.