Howell Lee was larger-than-life, gregarious and kind. He never met a stranger, was never short on conversation, and told fantastic stories to Senators and busboys alike. His laugh was infectious, easily heard across a crowded room. Howell was a people-person and thrived on connecting people to others for friendship or business.
Howell was born in Jackson, Alabama on December 3, 1949. Raised in Mobile, Alabama, he attended UMS Preparatory School, forever keeping in touch with many classmates and remembering his years there fondly. He later attended the University of Alabama, and was a proud member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, remaining close with many “brothers in the bond” throughout his life.
Upon his father’s death, Howell took over the family’s “Great American Homes” construction company in Camden, AL, worked for years at Brindley Construction in Pulaski, TN, and then started FHL construction in Huntsville. Years after being named Huntsville Madison County Builders’ Association’s “Builder of the Year,” he went on serve as the chapter’s president. He served on many other boards for non-profits, and proudly administered the WIRED grant for Workforce Development in the Tennessee Valley while serving as Dean of Calhoun Community college.
Howell always had a passion for politics and served as Democratic Party Chair in Wilcox County during the 1970s. As District Director and Campaign Finance Chief for US Representative Bud Cramer, he was a self-proclaimed “Blue Dog” (moderate) Democrat, and would often say he was “a Democrat before Democrats were cool!” Eventually he worked as Governmental Affairs Director for his beloved builder’s association and went to his grave decrying the lack of affordable housing in America.
To know Howell was to be regaled by his many “Howellisms.” Responding to what he considered an obvious question, he might inquire, “Does a Baptist church have a school bus?!!” Misplaced items were deemed “lost as last year’s Easter egg!” And instead of saying “et cetera,” he would frequently end thoughts by saying, “yada, yada, yada,” a la Seinfeld.
Perhaps his favorite Howellism was a portmanteau of the words frustrated and flustered, which he coined, “flustrated.” And when “flustrated,” he would exclaim loudly “God Almighty!” To that end, he very much loved the Lord, but when asked if he had found Jesus, would reply, “I never lost him!”
Howell was the epitome of a southern gentlemen, instinctively making anyone, from any walk of life, feel at ease. He never left home without a clean handkerchief in his pocket which he would offer freely for teary eyes or bloody noses. Howell believed the classics never went out of style, and thus wore khakis every day, while proudly sporting rockport loafers and white “dad” new balances that he would buy annually at outlet malls near the beach. He had an enormous sweet tooth, and ate oatmeal cream pies like they were going out of style. He justified this habit by explaining they were Alabama football coach Nick Saban’s favorite snack, too! A natural athlete, he coached his daughters for years in softball at Fern Bell Park, though his favorite time of year was arguably Fall, when he religiously watched Alabama Football.
Howell was a tremendously loving and supportive father of his two daughters, cherished attending grandson Grayson and Riley’s baseball and soccer games and spent the last 15 years raising three grandkids with wife Susan. Howell was called “Papa Lee” by all his grandchildren and their friends.
Howell is survived by many in his village; his wife, Susan Lee; his two daughters, Rebecca Lee and Laura Dale (Lee) Priest; his son-in-law and best man, Roy Priest; stepdaughter, Elizabeth Callahan; grandchildren, Grayson and Riley Priest; Kelsey Callahan, Reece May & BJ Brandebourg. He was close to his sister, Donna Lee and her husband, Billy DeShazo, and cousin, Jan Preslar; and owned a great, big, sweet, slobbering boxer, Benji.
A Celebration of Life will be Saturday, May 28, 2022 from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm at The Ledges.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the MD Anderson Center (gifts.mdanderson.org).
