Our Sympathies extended to the families of... John E. Howard

Funeral services for John E. Howard, a longtime Bentley, OK resident, (born in Bentley, lived several years in Oregon, lived in Bentley for the last 59 years) will be held Friday, January 15, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at Lane Baptist Church in Lane, Oklahoma with Rev. Tom Howard and Bro J. D. Steelman officiating. Burial will be in Bentley Cemetery with Brown’s Funeral Service of Atoka in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Howard was born December 16, 1928 to J E. and Martha Idalia (Rogers) Howard at Bentley and passed away January 9, 2021 at Denison, TX at the age of 92 years and 24 days. He attended Bentley Public School and played minor league baseball and basketball. John played basketball against the Harlem Globe Trotters. He married Barbara Leona (Shaw) July 29, 1950 in Oregon and they celebrated 70 years of marriage before his passing. John worked a number of years in lumber mills in Oregon.

He was a Baptist Minister for the past 55 years and pastored many churches and helped build several churches. He had Sunday morning services on the radio station for over 50 years. John preached hundreds of funerals and officiated about that many weddings. He preached his last service February 23, 2020 at Lane Baptist Church. He always said, “God Hired and God will have to fire me”. John was an avid hog trapper and loved doing ranch work and working with cattle and horses.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara Leona Howard of the home in Bentley; children, Drucilla Thurman and husband Clinton of Bentley, Gloria Sheffield and husband Larry of Lane, OK and Robin Roller of Bentley; grandchildren, LaDonna Forester and husband Charles of Lane, Phillip Thurman and wife Emily of Bentley, Misty Pingleton of Atoka, Tara Sandmann and husband Johnny of Cottonwood, OK, Laura Kisby and husband Jay of Amarillo, TX, Jessica Hunt and husband Zack of Lane, Tawana Stockton and Nicholas Roller, both of Bentley; nineteen great-grandchildren, along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear and loved friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, J. E. and Martha Idalia (Rogers) Howard; daughter, Linda Mae Howard; brothers, Ernest, Joe, Robert, Elder Lee, and James Howard; sister, Katy Thomas; great-granddaughter, Kaci McGee and son-inlaw, Steve Roller.

Casketbearers will be Doyle Sheffield, Phillip Thurman, Zack Hunt, Keith Pingleton, Don Deaton and Larry Rains. Honorary bearers will be Harry Farris, Frankie Hunt, Bill Miller, Cecil Lewis, Junior Henry, B. J. Craig, Wayne Fowler, Charles Don Roberson, and James Howard.

Condolences may be sent to the family by email to: browns@atoka. net. Please reference the name of the deceased in your correspondence.