2024ObituariesRita Gail Harris Howell

Rita Gail Harris Howell was born November 23, 1943, in Ardmore, Oklahoma. She departed this life and entered her heavenly home on Thursday, December 5, 2024. Rita was a long-time resident of Denham Springs, Louisiana.

Rita grew up a pastor’s daughter and became a pastor’s wife. As such, she dedicated her life to serving her Lord and Savior and spent most of her time counseling and helping others.

In her spare time Rita liked to stay busy. Late in life, she taught herself how to use a computer so well that many others would call to ask her for help. Before she was homebound, she loved doing yard work – especially planting and growing roses – as well as beading, sewing, telling rhymes and riddles, and working puzzles.

She loved Coca-Cola products, as well as anything red, a good sale, dogs, lights at Christmas time, listening to her wind-chimes, collecting jewelry, watching dramas and musicals, a good story, and meeting new people. She never met a stranger.

Rita’s passion was her family until the day she went home. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister-in-law, and aunt, and she will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Rev. Houston & Clara Fay Harris, her sister and brother-in-law, Margie & D.W. McClain, and two sons, Joseph Wayne Howell, Jr., and Houston Dee Wayne Howell.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Rev. J. W. Howell; two daughters & sons-in-law, Margie & Leroy Golmon, Jr. and Regina & Robert Pearce; five nephews she claimed as her own, Darrell McClain (Sandi), Ronnie McClain (Patti), Keith McClain (Pam), Kevin McClain (Stefanie), and Michael McClain (Lori); nine grandchildren, Jennifer Bonaventure (Michael), Sarah Walker (Glenn), Joseph Golmon (Kara), Robyn Pearce, Abigail Pearce, Lillian Pearce, Katherine Pearce, Dovie Dunnagan (Sam), and Anthony Montgomery; ten great-grandchildren, Alyssa Bonaventure, Noah Bonaventure, Jacob Bonaventure, Logan Walker, Makenzie Walker, Savannah Walker, Olivia Walker, Dexter Waguespack, Zane Waguespack, and Charlotte Dunnagan, as well as a host of beloved in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Memorial Services will be held at Faith Fellowship PCG, located at 10779 Yarlin Street in Denham Springs, Louisiana, on Saturday, December 14, 2024. Visitation begins at 9:00 AM with services starting at 10:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Gideons International. (https://www.gideons.org)