Susan Howell

Susan was born on April 6, 1948, the oldest of three children, to Emett Duwain and Susan Perry Whitis in Dallas, Texas. Her family moved to Houston a short time later where she spent the rest of her childhood.  She graduated from Bellaire High School in 1966 and attended Texas Tech University that fall, following in the steps of both of her parents.  She immediately fell in love with Lubbock.  Until her last day she still talked about riding the train from Houston to Lubbock, picking up other college kids from Dallas, Austin and San Antonio along the way.  While at Tech, Susan met Ronald Howell in Government class.  Ron said he just had to find out who this girl was that had different color hair each week.  So, he asked her out and they married on June 7, 1969, in Houston Texas.  After their wedding, Ron was drafted into the military and Susan moved back to Houston until Ron returned from overseas.  Ron and Susan were blessed with two sons, Brad in 1975, and Jeff in 1980.  After Ron’s military service the family spent 4 years in Midland, 10 years in Hobbs and the next 37 years in Lubbock. After moving back to Lubbock Ron and Susan joined St. Luke’s Methodist Church and the Crusaders Sunday School Class.  In 1991 Susan decided to go back to school and she graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor’s in Business Administration.

Susan was a faithful Red Raider.  She and Ron had season tickets to football and basketball and frequently traveled to the Southwest Conference basketball tournament.  She loved her Lady Raiders.  Susan also loved growing roses and would frequently compete in rose shows during their Hobbs days. After winning grand champion at several shows Susan earned the nickname “The Rose Queen”.  Susan was a Certified Legal Assistant and spent her career working for: Crenshaw, Dupree & Milam; Bowers Law Firm and Nelson & Nelson Attorneys.  She loved her work, and she had fond memories of all the attorneys she worked with.

Susan is survived by her children, Bradley Dee (Melissa) Howell and Jeffrey Todd (Cassidi) Howell; and grandchildren, Madilyn Ann Howell, Hayden Ronald Howell, and Brooklyn Susan Howell; siblings, Catherine Stevenson and Duwain Whitis (Barbara).  She is also survived by step-mother Sue Whitis, as well as multiple nephews and nieces.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Ronald Dee Howell; parents, Emett Duwain Whitis and Susan Perry Whitis; and stillborn son, Keith Whitis Howell.

In December of 2005, Ron suffered an incapacitating brain injury and Susan spent the next 18 years years a loyal, faithful and loving wife working to provide the care that Ron required.  She has epitomized the phrase “for better and for worse” and we know that she was welcomed into the gates of heaven with the words “Well done, good and faithful servant”.

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