William HOWELL

1928 - 2016

HOWELL, William August 2, 1928 June 18, 2016 William Barrett Howell, 87, died of heart failure at home on June 18, 2016. Barrett was a sixth generation Atlantan, the second son born to the late Clark and Margaret Carr Howell. He was raised and died on the same land in Buckhead where his forefathers had also lived since before the Civil War. Barrett attended E. Rivers Elementary School where the caption on his graduation yearbook picture read "perpetual motion." He attended Woodberry Forest School in Virginia and graduated from Emory University where he was a member of the Chi Phi fraternity and received a degree in Journalism. His career began with a job in that field working for The Atlanta Constitution. Later, he joined the Citizens & Southern National Bank. While successful in those ventures, Barrett chose to pursue paths in both the real estate and investment fields. Ultimately, he created Pinehill Investments in 1982, a successful entity that survives him today. Barrett's perpetual motion is evidenced by his service throughout the community. He was on the board of directors of The Lovett School, eventually becoming an emeritus member. He served as a board member of Breakthrough Atlanta, the Atlanta History Center and the Atlanta Falcons. He was Chairman of the Board of the Cerebral Palsy School. He was a longtime member of the Piedmont Driving Club and an avid golfer at Peachtree Golf Club; he served on the boards of both clubs. He also belonged to the Capital City Club and the Highlands Country Club. Serving on The Lovett School board, Barrett realized firsthand the difference a good, well-rounded education can make in someone's life which resulted in motivating him and others to build a small school in Peoplestown, a neighborhood in southeast Atlanta. He and Fay were among the co-founders of, and continue to support, The Study Hall, a nonprofit open year-round to provide after-school programs including music, art and physical activities for 150 children in grades K5. The Study Hall is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary helping children achieve personal and academic success. Barrett was a lifelong learner, an avid reader and a student of history and was particularly drawn to Civil War history. Some of that interest might have stemmed from the role his family played in 19th century Atlanta. Barrett's great-grandfather Evan Park Howell bought a controlling interest in the The Atlanta Constitution in 1876. He was editor-in-chief for many years, and his son and grandsonBarrett's grandfather and fathercontinued to publish the papers until they sold it in 1950. Evan also owned the mill on Peachtree Creek, milling lumber after the Civil War, which later became what is now Howell Mill Road. Barrett's love of history led to many travels around the world, almost always with children and grandchildren in tow. Even in the twilight of his life, Barrett maintained his exceptional ability to recall historical facts. Barrett loved people and made them feel special with his booming voice, sense of humor, and warm personality. He was a charismatic force, a larger-than-life personality with an incomparable ability to connect with everyone he met. Known as "Chief Longbelt" or "Big Charlie" to his inner circle, Barrett left an indelible imprint on many. He will be missed greatly by the many people whose lives he touched. He is survived by his wife Fay Sheffield Howell and his five children: Fay Howell Lidji (Brian) of Dallas, Texas; Margize Howell of New York City; Caroline Howell, of Atlanta; Barrett Howell, II (Clayton) of Atlanta; Georganna Howell Weatherholtz (Eric) of Atlanta. His 13 grandchildren also survive him: Barrett Lidji (Ally); Caroline Lidji Jordan (Matt); Nicholas Lidji; Clark Wright; Pearce Wright; Robert Gibson, III; Fay Gibson; Annabelle Gibson; Barrett Howell, III; Sheffiield Howell; James Weatherholtz; Kate Weatherholtz; and Julia Weatherholtz. Barrett's parents and his brother Clark Howell predeceased him. A memorial service will be held at The Cathedral of St Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road, NW, Atlanta, 30305, on Thursday, June 23, 2016 at 2 p.m. The family will greet friends at a reception at the church following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to either The Study Hall, P.O. Box 6717, Atlanta, GA 30315 (www.thestudyhall.org) or The Lovett School, 4075 Paces Ferry Road, NW, Atlanta, GA, 30327.