Smith Howell's Obituary
SMITH HOWELL, SR. was born in Burton, MS on August 16, 1915. He passed away May 5, 2010 at his home in Southaven, MS. He was 94 years old. The family will receive friends Friday, May 7 from 5-7 p.m., and funeral services will be Saturday, May 8 at 1 p.m., all at Goodman Oaks Church of Christ. Burial will be in Memorial Park Southwoods. Mr. Howell graduated from Whitehaven High School in 1933. He was married to Allene Belew in 1937 and they enjoyed 65 years together until her death in 2002. In 1931, he began working for WREC/WREG founder, Hoyt B Wooten. He soon became Mr. Wooten’s right hand man. He was asked to build a radio studio in the 1940’s. CBS Radio approved the first draft. For the next 60 years virtually every studio, set or office at WREG had his hand on it. In the 1950’s, he designed and built the “Elborado”, Mr. Wooten’s 98 foot yacht that sailed for over a decade out of it’s Mud Island berth. In 1963, he designed and built a 5600 square foot fallout shelter on Mr. Wooten’s Whitehaven estate. He retired from WREG in 1983, but continued as a consultant until the last few years of his life. He served as an elder of the Whitehaven/Goodman Oaks Church of Christ for 54 years. During the last two decades of his life, he became quite active in various mission projects in the African country of Malawi. He made 4 trips to Africa between the age of 77 and 91. During those trips, he actively participated in the design and building of a school, church, hospital and childrens village for 500 AIDS orphans. Mr. Howell was preceded in death by his wife, Allene Belew Howell. He leaves a daughter, Bettyann Norris (Larry, preceded) of Southaven; two sons, Smith (Betty Bo) Howell, Jr. of Hernando and Mark (Kathy) Howell of Collierville, TN; three sisters, Jackie Lorensen, Jane Mullins, and Joann McNickalas; one brother, John Howell, Jr.; grandchildren, Dale Norris, Matt Norris, Wendy Nations, Holly Charnes, Smith Howell, and Jackson Howell; great-grandchildren, Tyler Redd, Barrett Norris, John Matthew Norris, Eli Nations, Betsy Ye Nations, and Beau Charnes. Memorial donations may be made to Goodman Oaks Church of Christ African Mission.
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