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Senator James Forrest Howell (Happy Howell), age 91, went to heaven on April 14, 2026. Jim was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma to Forrest Felton Howell and Lena Pearl Howell on July 14, 1934. He played basketball and football at Wewoka High School and attended Eastern A&M College on a basketball scholarship where he received an associates degree, then attended Oklahoma Baptist University, where he played basketball and received his bachelor’s degree, majoring in Speech and History. There, at OBU he met the love of his life Diann Harris. They married at Trinity Baptist Church in Oklahoma City on December 21, 1956.
Jim taught and coached basketball at Wetumka High School for one year, then they moved to Midwest City, where he taught Speech and coached basketball at Monroney Junior High. He served as the youth pastor at First Baptist Church of Midwest City for several years. He went to the University of Oklahoma Law School, graduating in 1963, going on to practice law for over 60 years. He began practicing law with Smith, Jones, & Webber Law Firm, later starting his own Firm, “Howell and Associates” in Midwest City. Jim was very active in Midwest City, serving as a member of the Rotary Club (where he was elected president twice), Midwest City Chamber of Commerce, Board of Rose State College, and the Board of the Oklahoma Baptist University. He taught Sunday School at First Baptist Church of Midwest City for more than 60 years, was a Midwest City Municipal Judge for 7 years, and was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate, District 42, where he served for 16 years. He went out each morning to “Save the State!”
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Lena and Forrest Howell, and his daughter, Cheryl Beth Howell. He is Survived by his wife: Diann Harris Howell, his sister: Martha Dearing and niece, Lisa, and his sons Mark Howell and David (& Joy) Howell, their 3 children: Jordan (& Corey Nagle), Addison, and Hayden.
Jim had a profound influence on his children, taking them to church each week, participating in their extracurricular activities, teaching them to love and honor God, to be fair in their thinking, to be good students and good friends, and to love America.
Jim was proud to serve alongside Coach McClellan, as one of the founding collaborators of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) laying the foundation for what has become a national ministry uniting faith and sports. His legacy is evident in his roles as Senator, attorney (“country lawyer”), Judge, Sunday School teacher, businessman, basketball coach, counselor, educator, speaker, leader, author, and friend to many.
Jim’s family will miss him in many ways- His laugh, his joy in living, going to church, enjoying meals, and “working the crowd”. But today, he is walking in Gods’ heaven.
Funeral services will be held at First Baptist Church of Midwest City on April 30, 2026, at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Oklahoma Baptist University Jim Howell Scholarship or First Baptist Church of Midwest Youth Fund.
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