Obituary of Thomas Melton Howell Jr

Thomas “Tom” Melton Howell, Jr, 67, of Sulphur Springs passed from this life to join his Lord and Savior on April 18, 2019.

Tom was born on July 15, 1951 in San Antonio, Texas to Thomas and Dorothy Howell. When Tom was 3, the family moved from San Antonio to Garland, Texas. Growing up in Garland, Tom was the oldest of 5 siblings. His dad, Thomas Sr, would take him and his siblings to their family farm where he developed an interest in animals and working with his hands. As soon as he was old enough, he joined the South Garland FFA where he started showing beef cattle at different shows around the state. This love for animals placed him on a path to attend Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. While attending Texas A&M he met and married the great love of his life, Gladys Irene (Powell) Howell on August 19, 1972.

Once he graduated from the Texas A&M in 1973, Tom got his first teaching job as an Ag Teacher in South Garland. However, soon he moved Sulphur Springs, Texas where he started teaching Ag classes and began working with the two other Ag Teachers (John Boles and Danny Johnson) that were already teaching there. This dream team of Ag teachers impacted countless student lives and set many on paths to accomplish great things.

Together, he and his beloved wife Gladys enjoyed the blessings of children, grandchildren, and a life filled with love and laughter. Always the teacher, Tom devoted his life to teaching kids of all ages everything he knew about farming, cattle, working with metal and being an honest, hardworking man. Quick to volunteer his time, family, friends, and neighbors alike could count on Tom to help them with anything from fixing fence to fixing trailers. A farmer and metal worker, Tom loved tending to his cattle, and getting his hands dirty. 

Tom was a member of First Baptist Church of Sulphur Springs, the Radio Bible Class at FBC, and later a participant of Terrific Tuesday Alzheimer’s group.

Tom is survived by his wife, Gladys Howell of Sulphur Springs; their two children Andrew Howell and his wife Kimberley of Calvert, Matthew Howell and his wife Lyndi of Sulphur Springs. He is also survived by his mother Dorothy Howell of Sulphur Springs, sister Beverly Prater and her husband Troy of Garland, his brother Larry Howell and his wife Gwen of Terrell, brother Gary Howell and his wife Diana of Denison, brother George Howell and his wife Trisha of Garland, five grandchildren, Drew, Rusty, Casey, Thomas, and Jonathan, and numerous extended family members and friends.

The family will receive friends for visitation and a celebration of life at First Baptist Church from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. with funeral immediately following on Monday, April 22, 2019. Interment will follow at Greenview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials may be made to Terrific Tuesday, 150 MLK Dr., Sulphur Springs, TX 75482

Arrangements are under the direction of West Oaks Funeral Home. www.westoaksfuneralhome.com