Howell, Eddie

Eddie Lee Howell was born on April 15, 1916 in Wilson County to the late George and Bessie Howell. He grew up in the Kirby's Crossing community on a farm and attended school in the same community.

In 1935 he married Laurena Dickerson with whom he had three children: Ruth, Ada, and Russell. After Laurena's death he re-married, to Margeret Carroll in 1944. Together they raised eleven children. Eddie had a wide variety of skills, evidenced by his work on a farm, running his own blacksmith shop and running a community store. His passion for collecting junk, odds and ends, was well known throughout the Kenly area. A firm believer in the value of hard work and the importance of always giving every task the best effort, his natural curiosity and ingenuity led him to construct a well-digger out of junk He also built two automobiles from spare parts and scrap metal, and enabled him to make his own generator to put lights in his home in the 1940s.

He was a longtime member of the Friendship Primitive Baptist Church and was eventually received a call to the ministry in 1995. A devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, he was loved by all who knew him. He departed earthly life on Wednesday January 19, 2000 at the Wake Medical Center in Raleigh.

Children: Fonda Howell Taylor, Edward Howell, Bobbie Pierce, Gilda Tyson, Carl B. Howell, Margaret P. Williams, George Howell, Virginia Pearce, Essie M. Williams, Ethel M. Artis, Patricia Frazier, Ruth Hinnant, Ada Cross, Russell Howell (deceased).

This page was donated by Ralph E. Scott and Suzanne Bailey.