Posted 11:11 pm Sunday, February 24, 2013
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Mary Lee Parham Howell
Born: Feb. 17, 1918
Died: Feb. 22, 2013
Funeral services for Mary Lee Parham Howell, 95, of Van are scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 25, at Van United Methodist Church with Dr. Mike Deaton, the Rev. Jack Cox, and the Rev. Barney Hutson officiating.
Burial will be in Haven of Memories in Canton under direction of Hilliard Funeral Home, Van.
Mrs. Howell died Feb. 22, 2013, at Canton Oaks after a long struggle with congestive heart failure.
Mary Lee Parham Howell was born Feb. 17, 1918, in the rural community of Woodbury near Hillsboro to Marvin and Lee Brawley Girault.
She was one of nine children who all attended Woodbury school. She loved going to church where her mother played piano and Mary Lee often lead the singing. In 1935 she married William Lynn Parham from East Texas. They moved to Mount Sylvan and lived on the Parham farm until 1950 when they moved to Ben Wheeler. They were active in the Ben Wheeler Baptist Church where Mary Lee sang in the choir, taught children and youth Sunday school classes, and served as associational president of the Women’s Missionary Union. She was an excellent seamstress, cook, homemaker, wife and mother.
After the death of Lynn Parham in 1967, she moved to Van and later married Emmett Howell in 1972. She became a member of Van United Methodist Church where she faithfully attended with her family. She loved her church, reading, traveling, and baking pies to share with family and friends. She was a founding supporter of the Van ISD Education Foundation and a past president of the Van Fine Arts Club.
She was preceded in death by her parents; six brothers and sisters; her first husband, Lynn Parham; her second husband, Emmett Howell; and stepson, Danny Howell.
She leaves to cherish her memory her daughter, Brenda Kellam and husband Jack, of Van; son, Capt. Don Parham and wife Beverly, of Dallas; stepdaughter-in-law, Joan Howell, of Van; five grandchildren, Clint Kellam and friend Arlene, of Austin, Dane Kellam and wife Kelley, of Van, Randy Parham and wife Barbara of Carrollton, Stephanie Parham Jones and husband Matt of Plano, and Steven Parham and wife Pam of Carrollton; 12 great-grandchildren, Ashley, Lauren, Micah, Caitlyn, Lindsey, Brooke, Jake, Drew, Pearson, Emmie, Hailey and Cameron. She also is survived by her sisters, Joyce Girault, Van, and Sue Yocham, of Hillsboro, as well as many loved nieces and nephews.
Mary Lee loved family get-togethers and lived to celebrate her 95th birthday with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends. She loved and appreciated the caring staff at Canton Oaks and the Van United Methodist Care Team coordinated by special friend, Avonne Tetrick.
Pallbearers will be Clint Kellam, Dane Kellam, Steven Parham, Randy Parham, Matt Jones and Eric Howell. Honorary pallbearers will be the Methodist Men’s Bible Sunday School Class.
If desired, memorials may be made to the Family Life Center Fund of Van United Methodist Church, or the Van ISD Education Foundation.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Hilliard Funeral Home in Van.
Died: Feb. 22, 2013
Funeral services for Mary Lee Parham Howell, 95, of Van are scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 25, at Van United Methodist Church with Dr. Mike Deaton, the Rev. Jack Cox, and the Rev. Barney Hutson officiating.
Burial will be in Haven of Memories in Canton under direction of Hilliard Funeral Home, Van.
Mrs. Howell died Feb. 22, 2013, at Canton Oaks after a long struggle with congestive heart failure.
Mary Lee Parham Howell was born Feb. 17, 1918, in the rural community of Woodbury near Hillsboro to Marvin and Lee Brawley Girault.
She was one of nine children who all attended Woodbury school. She loved going to church where her mother played piano and Mary Lee often lead the singing. In 1935 she married William Lynn Parham from East Texas. They moved to Mount Sylvan and lived on the Parham farm until 1950 when they moved to Ben Wheeler. They were active in the Ben Wheeler Baptist Church where Mary Lee sang in the choir, taught children and youth Sunday school classes, and served as associational president of the Women’s Missionary Union. She was an excellent seamstress, cook, homemaker, wife and mother.
After the death of Lynn Parham in 1967, she moved to Van and later married Emmett Howell in 1972. She became a member of Van United Methodist Church where she faithfully attended with her family. She loved her church, reading, traveling, and baking pies to share with family and friends. She was a founding supporter of the Van ISD Education Foundation and a past president of the Van Fine Arts Club.
She was preceded in death by her parents; six brothers and sisters; her first husband, Lynn Parham; her second husband, Emmett Howell; and stepson, Danny Howell.
She leaves to cherish her memory her daughter, Brenda Kellam and husband Jack, of Van; son, Capt. Don Parham and wife Beverly, of Dallas; stepdaughter-in-law, Joan Howell, of Van; five grandchildren, Clint Kellam and friend Arlene, of Austin, Dane Kellam and wife Kelley, of Van, Randy Parham and wife Barbara of Carrollton, Stephanie Parham Jones and husband Matt of Plano, and Steven Parham and wife Pam of Carrollton; 12 great-grandchildren, Ashley, Lauren, Micah, Caitlyn, Lindsey, Brooke, Jake, Drew, Pearson, Emmie, Hailey and Cameron. She also is survived by her sisters, Joyce Girault, Van, and Sue Yocham, of Hillsboro, as well as many loved nieces and nephews.
Mary Lee loved family get-togethers and lived to celebrate her 95th birthday with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends. She loved and appreciated the caring staff at Canton Oaks and the Van United Methodist Care Team coordinated by special friend, Avonne Tetrick.
Pallbearers will be Clint Kellam, Dane Kellam, Steven Parham, Randy Parham, Matt Jones and Eric Howell. Honorary pallbearers will be the Methodist Men’s Bible Sunday School Class.
If desired, memorials may be made to the Family Life Center Fund of Van United Methodist Church, or the Van ISD Education Foundation.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Hilliard Funeral Home in Van.
