Cover photo for John Cleveland Howell's Obituary
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1957 John 2017

John Cleveland Howell

November 10, 1957 — September 23, 2017

ohn Cleveland Howell November 10, 1957 - September 23, 2017 John Cleveland Howell was born in Fontana, California, on Nov. 10, 1957, to Claude Howell and Vernie Madison and unexpectedly left this life too early Sept. 23, 2017, in Logan, UT. In his younger years, John loved the life that California offered: He adored the outdoors, excelled at gymnastics and developed a love for the sport that would last a lifetime, and did what all 10-year-old kids want to do - rode his bicycle to Disneyland with his friends for an exciting day of adventure, something that could only be done in the era he grew up in. At 14, John started working in a muffler shop, fixing cars and helping to support his family as he could. He learned the benefits of hard work and how important it is to care for your family. He graduated from Fontana High School, and more importantly, with honors from the prestigious School of Hard Knocks. John learned many of life's most difficult lessons early, and it shaped the person that he became as he matured. For John, family always came first, and that started with Kelly. He supported, carried and loved Kelly through good times and through the most difficult times of their lives as she fought cancer. Kelly and John first met as bartenders from competing establishments, and they both decided immediately that they very much disliked each other. With a little encouragement from their friends, and a little time, that dislike turned to like, and they soon were dating. They were married Nov. 5, 1988, John was baptized and joined The in 1989, and they were sealed in the Logan LDS Temple on Nov. 16, 1991. They lived in California for a few years after getting married, came to Logan to visit family, and decided this was the best place for them and moved their family to Cache Valley in 1990. Building a family was the most important thing in life for John - as testified by his devotion to his wife and children. John loved babies. He couldn't help himself, taking every opportunity they had to bring another baby into their family, mostly as foster children (over a dozen - and counting!) and eventually adopting seven of those into their family over the years. Those sacrifices he made as a youth to foster his own family turned into a selfless desire to foster less-fortunate children the rest of his life. He spent countless hours supporting his children in all their activities (and loved every minute of it) and helping them learn responsibility and skills at home. He loved all his children but always had a soft spot in his heart for all the girls. Through the years, John worked at various places, especially enjoying his 13 years at Lundahl Astro Circuits, but found his perfect match at Logan Regional Hospital. He loved the people there, loved his responsibilities, and took pride in making a difference for everyone he touched. He truly found his happy place with the people around him. He took his job very seriously, took extra shifts if there was a need, and made it a home away from home. Other than his children and grandchildren, John loved riding his Harley (always was a Harley fan from childhood), showing off his biker tattoos and listening to Guns and Roses. He enjoyed anything outdoors: taking his family camping in Yellowstone and boating at Lake Powell, teaching the kids how to shoot and gun safety, and traveling to see the sights (and spend time visiting family). John was a true Aggie, cheering them on - and cussing the referees - win or lose. He loved baseball, especially the Cubs and Dodgers, collecting player cards and signatures when possible, and celebrated the day that his beloved Cubs finally broke the Curse and won the World Series. His true calling in life was to fix things (including people). Rarely could you find him without a tool in his pocket or not cleaning the dirt and grease off his hands from a job he was finishing. He served as a high priest in his ward in various callings and truly believed and had faith in his redeemer Jesus Christ. He wasn't always the first person to come to church, but if there was a job to be done, or a friend or neighbor or anyone in need, he was always among the last to leave. He was generous with his time and talents. John was preceded in death by his father, Claude; his brothers, Teddy and Joseph Hood; nephew Joseph Jr.; and a cherished cousin, John Wesley Brown. John is survived by his wife, Kelly; his children, Christopher (Melanie) Howell, Steven (Mandaree) Sorg, Jamie (Alex) Ghazarian, Amber (Christopher) Haugen, Brandy (Brandon) Pray, Michael (Kandice) Howell, Breanna (James) Jorgensen, Madison, Rachel; his mother Vernie; his brothers and sisters, Kathleen (Gregory) Held, Sherri Howell, Michael Howell, Laurie Howell, James Howell; and a beloved aunt Jackie; grandchildren, Natalie, Jason, Melanie, Elizabeth, Livingston, Bennett, Giana, Stratton, Hudson, Ivy, expected baby (April 2018) and great-grandchild Austin. A viewing will be held at Allen-Hall Mortuary on Thursday, Sept. 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will take place at the LDS Logan Canyon Ward meetinghouse, 325 Lauralin Drive, Logan, UT, at 11 a.m., with a viewing prior to the services from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. A special thanks from the Howell family to everyone who helped John in this life and in his transition to the next: especially emergency services personnel, Dr. Nash, friends and family, and all his fellow employees at Logan Regional Hospital. We appreciate all your kindness and support.
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