Delbert Eugene Howell

Delbert E. Howell, age 93, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Thursday, May 8, 2025, after being cared for by his wife, Doris, with the help of Home Hospice for the past 3.5 months.

Services will be held at Ankeny Baptist Church (2842 SW 3rd St. Pl, Ankeny, IA) on Friday, May 16, 2025, with visitation at 10:30 a.m. and funeral at 11:30 a.m. A graveside service will be held in the Bradford Cemetery in Bradford, IL, on Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. The funeral will be livestreamed at the following link: https://youtube.com/live/5IAGfIpqUJc?feature=share

Delbert was born November 9, 1931 to Hoyett and Lillie (Dunn) Howell in Hodgenville, Kentucky. He moved to Illinois with his parents when he was seven years old. After graduating from high school in Wyoming, IL in 1950 he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. After his discharge, he returned home to Wyoming and soon started dating Doris Russell of Bradford, IL.

He started attending First Baptist Church in Bradford with Doris and on March 20, 1955, accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. He married Doris Russell on February 12, 1956, and celebrated 69 years of marriage this year; she survives him. They had four daughters and three of them survive him in death: Debbie (Gary) Wessels of Ankeny, IA, Darcy (Tim) Stanley of Greenville, SC, and Donya (Darrell) Bayles of Ankeny, IA. Darla Gryder went home to be with the Lord on June 29, 2011. They have 11 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren, one of whom preceded him in death.

He attended Railroad Communication School in Kansas City, MO to be an agent operator and was employed by the Rock Island Railroad for 20 years before entering the ministry full time. He was active in his church as a deacon, Sunday School teacher, and youth leader. In the mid-1960's he started preaching in his church, campgrounds and many churches whenever the Lord gave him the opportunity. He also started a radio ministry with his family over WKEI in Kewanee, IL and WPEO in Peoria, IL. The three oldest daughters were only seven, nine and eleven years old when they started singing on the radio and were accompanied by their mother on the accordion.

He was ordained as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on October 9, 1971, in the First Baptist Church of Bradford, IL. He was called to be pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Toulon, IL on January 1, 1972. He was pastor of four churches and held evangelistic meetings in several churches during his ministry.

Seeing people saved was his passion, love and joy. Many children and adults were saved and baptized because of the four bus routes he established; he continued working in this ministry until he was 74. He retired as a pastor when he was 65 years old. Between 1998 and 2008, he made six mission trips to Ghana, Africa to do evangelistic work. After their move to Ankeny, IA in 2011, he was involved in the AWANA program and the outreach ministry to the Eldora Juvenile Home through Ankeny Baptist, and the Polk County Jail Ministries.

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Perrin's Park at Cornerstone Baptist Church, 8508 Pelham Rd., Greenville, SC 29615 (please be sure to designate the gift for Perrin's Park in honor of Delbert Howell) OR to the Polk County Jail Ministries, Inc., 1985 NE 51st Place, Des Moines, IA 50313.