Howell Sowells

1934 - 2017

April 3, 1934 - Jan. 10, 2017

Howell was a good man. He was a very giving man and was quick to offer help to anyone if they were in need of it. He was also a man who knew exactly what he wanted out of life, and how he wanted it.

He was born in Oklahoma with three brothers. Together, he and his family lived on dirt farms, working in fields as paid labor in his childhood years. As he became a young man, he was a cook on a Navy boat and had a dancing woman tattooed on his forearm that always made all of the children laugh and smile. At one point in Vallejo, he owned a service station, one that he always said was way more trouble than it was worth and could not wait to get rid of it. He then spent some time in construction doing different types of jobs that he liked, but hated all of the commuting he had to do for them.

Then, in the middle of his life, he found his dream job. He would become the foreman of the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo. He loved that job, that city, and had no commute to boot. It was always his love, joy and passion to work using his hands. He always said he could not have found a job he loved more, and was happy and grateful for his time there.

He would eventually retire and continue to work with his hands, always being found in his workshop or at his workbench, "tinkering" or "re-modifying" something, as he would put it. He could also be found working in his backyard, which was always full of beautiful trees, flowers, plants and loads of yard ornaments. I am sure we can all imagine him right now, riding his lawnmower in his backyard or even at the fairgrounds.

Later in his life and retirement, he was an avid watcher of old western movies and tv shows, and could recite endless interesting facts or stories about the characters and actors who portrayed them. You could always count on them being on the tv set anytime you visited him or hearing the opening songs to the shows blaring as you entered his house.

He survived two wives passing, thus had two separate families that merged into one great big family, both of which he loved dearly.

Towards the end he always said that he lived a good life and was happy with his never ending stream of good experiences and loving memories. We are all lucky to have known him and to have been in his life, he loved us all so greatly.

There will never be another Howell Sowells in spirit, and not very likely in name. We all will forever miss you, and Love you eternally big guy.