Fannie Rae Howard

Fannie Rae Jones Howard, 91, of Kettle Island, Kentucky passed into Glory on February 25, 2024, at the Pineville Community Health Center. She was born on May 8, 1932, in Kettle Island, Kentucky to John and Mary Collett Jones who preceded her in death. Fannie was saved at the age of twelve and baptized into the Mill Creek Baptist Church. She served as a deacon’s wife, taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and was church clerk for many years. She loved to knit and crochet and remained active in church ministry by making over a hundred head bands each year for Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Box Ministry until forced to stop due to failing eyesight at age 85. She also loved to fish. On March 28, 1968, she was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel by Governor Louie B. Nunn. She retired from the Bell County Board of Education where she worked as a secretary and lunchroom bookkeeper at Right Fork School. She was a devoted Christian wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and servant to many.

In addition to her parents, Fannie was preceded in death by her faithful husband of 61 years, Gabe Howard; her brothers, George C. Jones and Bill Jones, and his wife, Claudette; her sister, Marsetta Jones Crisp; nephews, Tim Jones and Larry Jones; and niece, Debbie Jones.

Fannie is survived by her sons, Dr. Rondald (Sandra) Howard of Kettle Island, Kentucky, Dr. Rodger (Patricia) Howard of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, and Benny (Woodie) Howard of Middlesboro, Kentucky; eight grandchildren, Beth Howard of Kettle Island, Kentucky, Andrew (Mayya) Howard of Alexandria, Virginia, Matthew (Marka) Howard of Harrogate, Tennessee, James Howard of Atlanta, Georgia, Lindsey (Vince) Powell of Lexington, Kentucky, Paige (Trey) Harbin of Pineville, Kentucky, Gracen (Joshua) Arnold of Harrogate, Tennessee, and Dana Howard of Middlesboro, Kentucky; four great-grandchildren, Conner Powell, Baylee Harbin, Brennan Harbin, and Titus Arnold; and a host of cousins, nephews, and nieces that she loved greatly.

Fannie also had many friends all of which were precious to her. However, there were some who were incredibly special who ministered to her as she aged. Alan and Linda Johnson, of Indiana who called her every week for many years; Ken and Anna Gambrel who brought her home-cooked meals weekly for many years; Kendra Partin-Lankford who lovingly provided for her care and friendship; Mary Lou Saylor who was a loving and constant watchful eye; Jacob and Kim Yates who went above and beyond in friendship and care; and a very dear friend, Carolyn Helton who loved Fannie from the time Carolyn was a young girl at Right Fork School.

Fannie strived to live as a separated Christian and the impact of her dedication to share God’s Word and love not only to her family but the children she ministered to through her time working in church nursery, VBS, Shoebox Ministry, as well as her love for the children at Right Fork School have led many to consider her like a second mother, or “Dodie” to them. Her devotion to following the Father had an eternal impact on her home, as well. Through the grace of God, all three of Fannie’s sons are in Church ministry in large part because of her faithfully reading God’s Word with them as they sat on her lap when they were young, by her spending all night praying for her sons to be saved, and by her exemplifying the mature, sober minded, chaste and obedient woman of Titus 2:3 – 5.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Mill Creek Baptist Church with Dr. Rondald Howard, Dr. Rodger Howard, Dr. William Boyd Bingham and Reverend Rafe Collett officiating. Lucy Vetrano Smith, Mickey Wilder and Thomasa Risner will provide music. Her interment will follow the service at Green Hills Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Andrew, Matthew and James Howard, Vince and Conner Powell, Trey and Brennan Harbin, and Joshua Arnold. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Nicholas Fugate and Dr. Jerry Woolum.

The family would like to offer a special thank you for the personal and professional care afforded them by the staff of Pineville Community Health Center.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Gateway Christian Academy, 1 Gateway Drive, Middlesboro, Ky 40965 or to Mill Creek Baptist Church Home Bound Food Ministry, Box 4776, Stoney Fork, Ky 40988.

The family will receive friends from 12:00 PM until the funeral hour at Mill Creek Baptist Church.

Arnett & Steele Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Pineville is honored to serve the Howard Family. Light a candle of remembrance and sign the guest register at www.arnettsteele.com.