Jacquelyn Fae Howell

Monday, June 12, 2017

Jacquelyn Fae Howell of Monette peacefully left this earth to enter Heaven on June 10, 2017, at the age of 80 after a courageous battle with cancer. Born Oct. 6, 1936, to the late Jack and Boyce Braden Howell, she was the first of five children. She was diagnosed with polio at the age of 12 and spent the remainder of her life in a wheelchair.

Jacquelyn graduated from Childress High School in 1954 as valedictorian of her class. She participated in March of Dimes events which were the fund-raising events for polio exclusively at that time. She was crowned the March of Dimes Queen on one occasion in Caraway.

She earned her college degree in English and library science from Southern Baptist (now Williams Baptist) College and Ouachita Baptist University, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Ouachita. Jacquelyn taught high school English at Childress from 1959 to 1961. After Childress consolidated with Monette, she taught sixth grade until she became the high school and elementary librarian at Monette and Buffalo Island Central. She retired in 1998 after 39 years of teaching. She taught Sunday school classes at both Childress and Monette First Baptist Churches where she was a member.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Mary Sue Wilson, and a brother, Dickie Howell.

Survivors include two sisters, Janis Chambers of Steele, Mo., and Nancy Stewart (Revis) of Monette; four nieces, Rebecca Clowers (Robert), Danette Thomas (Harvey), Jana Evans (Keith) and Julie Lee (Chris); five nephews, Perry Chambers, David Sevier (Louise), Hayes Howell (Elizabeth), Kevin Stewart (Nicole) and Jason Stewart (Wendy); as well as several great nieces and nephews and two special caregivers, Deb Tucker and Shirley Thompson.

A celebration of her life will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Monette with Hayes Howell officiating. Entombment will follow at Monette Cemetery. Visitation was from 6-8 p.m. Monday, also at the church. Funeral arrangements are by Gregg Funeral Home.

Honored to serve as pallbearers will be Hayes Howell, Kevin Stewart, Jason Stewart, Dylan Stewart, Dawson Stewart and Revis Stewart.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 484, Monette, Ark.

Please visit her online guestbook at www.greggfh.com.