BLACKSBURG, S.C. - Hal W. Howington Sr., 92, 1158 N. Mountain Street, went home to be with the Lord on Aug. 8, 2012, at
Kings Mountain Hospice House, Kings Mountain.
Born in Winder, Ga., he was the husband of the late Dorothy Martin Howington and a son of the late Zed W. and Jessie Patrick Howington Sr.
He served in the United States Army from 1941 to 1945 in Guadalcanal and Northern Solomon Islands during the Asiatic Pacific Theater Campaign. He was awarded the American Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Theater Campaign Medal with Two Bronze Service Stars, and the Freedom Medal from the North-ern Mariana Islands. He retired from Spartan Food Systems, owned and operated several service stations in the com-munity and was a gentleman farmer.
He was a member of Mt. Paran Baptist Church where he served as Deacon, Trustee and Sunday School Superin-tendent. He loved the Men's SS Class serving as Class President. He was an active member of Mt. Paran's Senior Citizen's Group and a member of the Happy Time Band. He was a lifetime member and Post Commander of VFW Post 4941, and a lifetime member of the Jack E. Daniel #54 DAV. He was also a volunteer with the Senior Center of Blacksburg.
He is survived by two sons, Hal Howington Jr. and wife, Brenda of Blacksburg, S.C. and Bradley Howington of Blacksburg, S.C.; one daughter, Patricia H. Whelchel and husband, Junior of Gaffney, S.C.; two grandchildren, Amy W. Hill and husband, Joe of Blacksburg, S.C. and Kristi H. Vassey and husband, Michael of Gaffney, S.C.; five great-grandchildren, Chelsea Hill, Joseph Hill Jr., Breanna Hill, Jacob Vassey and Madison Vassey; one great-great-grandchild, Damion Hughes; five brothers, Nolan P. Howington of Louisville, Ky., Hoyt Howington of Tega Cay, S.C., Horace Howington of Plymouth, Robert Howington of Shelby and Dwight Howington of Gastonia.
In addition to his wife and parents, he is preceded in death by two sisters, Erie Dell Worthy and Una Morgan; and five brothers, Herman Howington, Zed Howington Jr., William Howington, (Hal's twin brother) Hugh Howington and Grady Howington.
The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at White Columns.
A celebration of life service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at Mt. Paran Baptist Church, with the Rev. Jay Clever offici-ating.
Interment with military honors will follow in the church cemetery.
At other times, they will be at the home of Hal, Jr., 1140 N. Mountain St., Blacksburg, S.C.
Active pallbearers serving are Joe Hill, Joseph Hill, Michael Howington, Mitchell Howington, Michael Vassey, Gene Carner, David Gibbons, Mason Thompson and Carnell Manning. Honorary pallbearers serving are members of VFW Post 4941.
Memorials may be made to Kings Mountain Hospice House, 321 Kings Mountain Road, Kings Mountain, NC, 28086; or to Mt. Paran Baptist Church, 105 Mt. Paran Road, Blacksburg, SC, 29702.
E-condolences may be made at
whitecolumnsfuneralservice.com.White Columns is serving the Howington family.
Published by Shelby Star on Aug. 10, 2012.