Frank Howell Obituary

Franklin "Frank" Pierce Howell, 85, of Watkinsville, GA died peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

Frank was born May 4, 1940 in Crawfordville, Taliaferro County, GA to James Edgar Howell and Evelyn Morris Howell. His sister Mary Howell Maynard and his brother Charles Howell preceded him in death.

Frank graduated from Alexander Stephens Institute in 1958 then he joined the U.S. Navy. After an honorable discharge in 1962 he was employed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FFA) as an Air Traffic Control Specialist at the Air Route Control Center in Hampton, GA. There he provided aircraft separation under radar and provided some on-the-job training. He retired in October 2003. Soon thereafter he was employed as an instructor, providing radar instruction to new recruits. He truly loved his work and many times at the dinner table he would make up a silly poem to entertain the children and the poem would always end in "and I love the FAA". Dean and Nita would laugh like it was the funniest thing that had ever heard. After enjoying dinners with family and friends, Frank would push back his chair and announce “family time is over” which everyone knew he meant to move to other rooms to continue conversations. "We will always have a chair at our table for you"

In his late forties, Frank decided to try snow skiing and skied until his mid-seventies. Most summer vacations were spent traveling in the western US visiting national parks and other historic points of interest. In his later years as Alzheimer's took over his life he continued to enjoy reading and watching old western movies and comedy shows on TV,

He survived by his wife of 61 years, Lula "LuLu" Howell of Watkinsville, GA, daughter, Nita Hammond (Ronnie) of McDonough, GA, son, Dean Howell (Regina Norris) of Locust Grove, GA, granddaughters, Brittany Lane of Watkinsville, GA, Mandy Eichenlaub (Grant) of Bogart, GA, great-grandchildren, Blake, Ava, Logan and Walker, step-grandson, Charles Byrd (Casey) and four step-great grandchildren Ethan, Sarah, Noah, and Benjamin and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at Washington Presbyterian Church on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 11:00 AM, with visitation one hour prior to the services, followed by burial at Clifford's Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Washington, GA.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Hopkins Funeral Home in Washington, GA.