Gary Edgar Howell

Mr. Gary Edgar Howell, 78, passed away Monday, November 4, 2019, at Atrium Health Cabarrus in Concord.

A memorial service is scheduled for 12:00 pm Friday, November 8, 2019, at Second Baptist Church. Rev. Gary Scoggins will officiate. Inurnment with military honors will follow at 2:00 pm at the Salisbury National Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 11 to 11:45 am Friday at Second Baptist Church.

Mr. Howell was born June 25, 1941 in Salisbury. Gary was a son of the late James Homer Howell and Myrtle Harwell Howell. Gary graduated from Mt. Ulla High School. Gary was a veteran of the US Navy and served on the USS Dyess (880 Destroyer). In his early years, he attended Seminary College in Florida. Gary pastored Independent Square Free Will Baptist Church and Mt. Olive Free Will Baptist Church, both in Kannapolis. Gary also participated in Rest Home and Prison singing Ministries. He was a member of Second Baptist Church. Gary worked for Westinghouse/IBM in Charlotte where he was a Quality Control Engineer and later retired from Tube-Tech in Charlotte. Gary was a HAM Radio Operator and was the State Chaplain for North Carolina.

Gary was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He enjoyed camping, fishing and spending time with family and friends.

In addition to his parents, Gary was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Marlene Blackwelder Howell; and a brother, James Baxter Howell.

Mr. Howell is survived by his daughter, Amy Driggers and husband Christopher of Townsend, MA; son, J. Darrin Howell and wife Mary of Kannapolis; sister, Mary H. White of Salisbury; brother, William "Billy" Howell of Winston-Salem; five grandchildren, Holly Lanier, Brendon Howell, Kamryn Howell, Aston Driggers and Amelie Driggers; and two great grandchildren, Olivia Lanier and Vivian Lanier.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Second Baptist Church, 807 Sweet Gum Street, Kannapolis, NC 28083.