Billy Ray Howell

Billy Ray Howell, 75, of Joshua passed away Thursday, May 26, 2011, at his home in Joshua. Funeral: 2 p.m. Monday in Mountain Valley Funeral Home Chapel. Interment: Union Hill Cemetery, Joshua. Visitation: 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Mountain Valley Funeral Home. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Billy Howell Memorial FFA Scholarship Fund, 5405 CR 803, Joshua, Texas 76058. Billy Ray Howell was born July 31, 1935, in Arkadelphia, Ark., to Robert and Lena Howell. He married Florence Ruth Hodge on July 18, 1953, in Texarkana. He and his wife moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 1956. He was a contractor and cattle farmer. Along with his wife, he was a longtime member of Cross Timber Baptist Church. Survivors: Wife of 58 years, Florence Howell of Joshua; son, Kenny Howell and wife, Tana, of Burleson; daughters, Krista Bleeker and husband, Charles, of Burleson, Karen Gillespie and husband, Randy, of Burleson; brother, Bill Rice of Burleson; sisters, Pauline Cook of Gurdon, Ark., Louise Hudson of Arkadelphia, Ark., and Audrey Schultz and husband, J.W., of Gatesville; grandchildren, Amber and David Cockerham, Carl and Brandy Nowak, Ryan Howell, Katy Bleeker, Michael Howell and Vanessa Dale, Tessa Bleeker, Ty Gillespie and Jake Gillespie; great-grandchildren, Bailey Benson, Brayden Benson, Izabella Howell and Nicholas Nowak; and numerous nieces and nephews.