Nelda Janet Howard Howell

Nelda Janet Howard Howell, age 80, of Clayton, Georgia, passed away on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 surrounded by her family.   

Born in 1943 in Deridder, LA, Nelda was the daughter of the late Croff and Helen Jones Howard.  After graduating from high school in 1961, Nelda attended Georgia Southwestern College (Georgia Southwestern State University) and received her associate's degree as a Registered Nurse in 1965. She married her high school sweetheart in December of 1962. After college, Nelda served area hospitals as a nurse in Albany, Tifton And Ocilla.  Later in her career, she taught in the nursing programs at Wiregrass Technical College (previously Ben Hill Irwin Tech) and Middle Georgia Tech.  She also served as the plant nurse prior to moving into Human Resources/Management at Delco Remy in Fitzgerald, GA. Finally, prior to her retirement, Nelda worked with Linda Kaye Pope Consulting, Ocilla, GA as a computer software consultant. 

Nelda was gifted musically, and sang and competed in the Chorus during her high school years.  She continued to share her musical gift by playing piano and directing the choir at Satilla Baptist Church.  Nelda loved her family and friends devotedly and was always eager to host them for any occasion requiring a get-together.  She enjoyed many years of riding horses, motorcycle riding and camping with her family.  Her personal hobbies were varied and included reading, movies, calligraphy, poetry, needlepoint, crewel and crocheting.  Her final passion was painting and she received so much joy by gifting her art to family and friends.  It has been said many times over that she excelled and mastered anything she decided to tackle. 

In addition to her parents, Nelda was preceded in death by her daughter, Helen Lynn; both of her sisters, Becky Lee Howard Tillman and Linda Carol Howard Totty; and beloved Aunt, Sarah Jones Deleza. 

Survivors include her husband of 61 years, Nelson (Smiley) Howell; daughters Alane Howell Payne (Tim), Columbus, GA and Lea Howell Coe (John), Cobb, GA; grandchildren John Daniel King, Abbie King Nowell (Chet), Ashley Payne, Arianna Payne, Alexandra Payne Sunnerville (Ryan), Jordan Payne and Emily Payne; great-grand children Teagan Sunnerville and Liam Hawkins; as well as many nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters in laws, and a host of loving friends.

The family will receive friends on Saturday afternoon, January 20, 2024, between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm at Hunter Funeral Home. A memorial service celebrating her life will immediately follow at 2:00 PM in the chapel at Hunter Funeral Home with interment at Battle Branch Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests memorial donations be made in Nelda’s memory to Columbus Hospice of Georgia & Alabama, 7020 Macon Road, Columbus, GA 31909 or to Battle Branch Baptist Church cemetery fund, Warworman Road, Clayton, GA.

During this time, Hunter Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Nelda Howell. Feel free to share your sympathies with the family through the provided website:  www.hunterfuneralhomega.com.