Lawrence Fredrick "Fred" Howell....Age 72

ALL SERVICES WILL BE AT EDDY-BIRCHARD FUNERAL HOME

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IN STATE AFTER 1PM TUESDAY

VISITATION: 6-8PM TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2014

SERVICE: 1:30PM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014

BURIAL: OSAWATOMIE CEMETERY, OSAWATOMIE, KANSAS

MEMORIAL: ST. JUDE'S CHILDRENS HOSPITAL

Memorials may be sent in care of:
Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home
P.O. Box 430
Osawatomie, KS 66064

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Lawrence Fredrick “Fred” Howell age 72, of Irving, Texas formerly of Osawatomie, Kansas died Wednesday, November 26, 2014 in Carrollton, Texas.

Fred was born July 25, 1942 in Osawatomie the second of five children to Lawrence Edwin and Catherine E. (Hatfield) Howell.

He was one of many in a long line of lifelong families from Osawatomie, with many of the men working for the railroad. As his Mother did before him, he attended school in Osawatomie and he graduated from Osawatomie High School with the class of 1960.

Fred was a member of the Boy Scouts, troop 99, from elementary school through high school. His scout leader was also his employer, retired teacher Mr. Averill who owned an upholstery shop where Fred worked during his high school years. He was very proud to have been one of four boys to attend the annual Boy Scout Jamboree in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. And he was especially proud of funding the trip with his own money he earned from his job.

On January 24, 1963 Fred enlisted in the United States Air Force, taking his basic training in San Antonio, Texas and then specialty training in Greenville, Mississippi. He then was stationed at Richard-Gebaur Air Force Base in Grandview, Missouri and then later transferred to the Olathe Naval Air Station in Gardner, Kansas. He was honorably discharged on January 23, 1967 with the rank of Airman 1st Class.

Fred married Sheryl Kay Law on July 3, 1965 at the First Baptist Church in Osawatomie. They became the parents of one son Gene. Fred and Sheryl were married for over forty-nine years.

They made their home in Olathe and Fred worked in Kansas City for an automation company as a sales associate. In 1971 the company moved him and his family to Irving, Texas when the company was sold. Even though the company was sold to many different owners throughout the years, like Dodge, and Exxon he remained employed there and retired from the company on the last day of December 2005 now known as Rockwell Automation.

Fred was one who liked going to the casinos. He loved playing the video poker machines or just playing the slots. He and Sheryl also enjoyed traveling and one of Fred’s favorite ways to do this was on a cruise ship He loved to go on cruises and his most memorable one was a cruise they took to Alaska. Sheryl is a member of the Red Hat Society and many of the trips were organized by the society. Fred loved these trips and as a natural joker, he enjoyed teasing and joking with all the members. He always had a quick come-back to anything and one of his signature sayings was “I am not ready to go just yet, I still have people to piss off.” His sense of humor will be one of the fond memories many will have.

He was a former member of the Osawatomie Elks Lodge #921 and a former member of the First United Methodist Church of Osawatomie.

Fred was preceded in death by both parents.

He is survived by his wife Sheryl of the home, his only child Gene C. Howell of Irving, Texas, one sister Barbara Rines of Sun City, AZ, three brothers: Thomas Howell of Olathe, KS, Bruce Howell of Elkhorn, NE and Eric Howell of Osawatomie, KS along with many other family and friends.