Page 13 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine

world war ii

Navy

Ens. Howell the museum in Tulia. He
discovered he had asked one of the docents,
13¼ points, ¼ more a longtime Tulia resident, if she knew Elvin
than he needed Howell. She said, “No.” When she was told he
to get out. “That had been the principal of the junior high, the
meant I could go former teacher recognized his name. Not only
home!” had she been his student, he had hired her to
teach. She said, “Oh, you mean Mr. Howell!”
He did go home
to Amarillo and Elvin Howell has done a lot of noteworthy things
taught PE in the in his life, but one of the most surprising was on
sixth grade. Two another Carillon excursion a couple of years ago.
sons were born The then 103-year-old made headlines when he
- John and Fred. ziplined over Palo Duro Canyon. The humble
The couple felt Mr. Howell also neglected to mention that
that Amarillo was accomplishment, but everyone else remembers
no place to raise it. At 105, he continues to add to an inspiring life
boys. It was “too rugged, too rough”. Rena’s story, and when he has a few minutes between
mother had bought land in Tulia; they liked the bridge games, he’ll be happy to share from the
town and moved there in 1954. Elvin taught enormous treasury of things he does remember.
social studies at Tulia Junior High where he also
coached seventh grade football, basketball
and track. After a few years, he was promoted
to principal and continued in that role for 10
years until 1967, when he retired. His mother-
in-law, who had always lived with them,
became ill, and he took care of her until 1988
when she passed away. Then, sadly, after
six decades of marriage, Rena developed
Alzheimer’s. A doctor in Amarillo had
diagnosed her, “but we never went back to
him. She didn’t want to believe she had it. She
never believed she had it. She was never sick;
she just forgot how to eat.” Elvin took care of
her in their home until her death in 2002.

Son John and his wife Carol moved to
Lubbock and invited Elvin to join them. He
checked out a few places to live and settled on
Carillon. He lives in Pointe Plaza (independent
living) and is an avid bridge player, “one of
the best we have,” according to Burle Pettit. He
enjoys his daily breakfast group with friends,
TH Holmes, Larry Hagood and Boyce Bryan.

He is something of a celebrity. “So many
people know me because of my age.”
He enjoys people, and they enjoy him. A
couple of stories that didn’t come up in the
interview were shared by other residents. Dr.
Holmes remembered a Carillon field trip to

Lubbock Senior Link 13