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HOWE – Angela Farrer Garner, 41, a beloved mother, sister, daughter, aunt and she was teacher to many. Angela died on October 24, 2019 after a 7-year battle with a brain tumor. As a young child, she committed her life to Christ and through all her trials, her love for the Lord only grew and became stronger.


Angela was born on July 3, 1978 in Sherman to Jesse P. and Paula Farrer. She is survived by her parents, children, Caden and Kennedy of Howe. Brother, Jesse L. Farrer and wife Brandi of Tom Bean; sister, Clarissia Doty and husband Michael of Howe. Nieces, Jessica Doty, Abby Farrer, Mikayla Doty, Chloe Farrer, and Jentrie Doty.


She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Opal and Julian RL Hill and Jesse and Thelma Farrer.


Angela will be remembered most by all the lives she touched while teaching 1st grade at Howe Elementary and 2nd grade at Van Alstyne Elementary. She had a bright smile that could light up a room and a laugh that was contagious.


Visitation will be held on Sunday, October 27, 2019 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at Scoggins Funeral Home in Van Alstyne. Funeral services will be on Monday, October 28, 2019 at 2:00 PM at First United Methodist Church in Howe, TX followed by Interment at Cedarlawn Memorial in Sherman, TX.


In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Angela Farrer Garner Memorial Education Scholarship fund set up at Independent Bank in Howe, TX.

To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Angela Farrer Garner, please visit our Tribute Store.

Betty Ann Cordell passed away on September 12, 2019 in The Woodlands, Texas. Betty was 80 years old born on January 31, 1939 in Fort Worth, Texas. Arthur P and Zora Banks Smith of Dallas, Texas adopted Betty from the Edna Gladney Home. Betty graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas in 1958, attending college at Arlington State College and then East Texas State University graduating with a degree in History and English in 1962. In May 1962, Betty married Carlie Joe Cordell of Sadler, Texas and they were married for 34 years until Carlie Joe’s passing in 1996.

Betty taught at S&S High School teaching English (Freshman-Senior), History, Speech, and Theater class starting in the early 70s. Betty finished her teaching career at Howe High School.  In the mid 70’s Betty was teaching world history at S&S and just so happened to find an article looking for home/host families who would sponsor a high school student, from a foreign country, for a school year. Betty volunteered her family and set off an extended family of children in her home from Denmark, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany. The program was such a success that during a few years there were as many as 10 students from around the world at S&S and surrounding high schools. The end result changed the Cordell family and Sadler for the better. Betty also brought a love of the arts to the two high schools where she taught. Many years were spent instructing students in debate, persuasive speaking and writing and many other literary events to compete in Texas UIL local and up to state competitions. But her was passion was drama. Three times she led troops to the state competition – 1980 The Tortoise and the Hare, 1987 The Magicians Nephew and 1989 The Wizard of Oz. But many of Betty’s former students remember her best for the recitations she made each student learn – that still can be recited today!

When not teaching and on into retirement, Betty loved to travel. Often the response to a trip would be “for how long and when”! During her life, she has seen most of all 50 states and many trips that she would lead to Europe with high school students every summer. Travel with her husband; her daughter; her grandchildren; college friends; co-workers; with strangers doing Elderhostel trips. Trips to Australia, Turkey, Sweden, Greece, Italy, France, to her beloved England and so many places in-between are just too numerous to list in entirety.

Betty was a lifelong, very active Methodist, being a member of the Sadler Methodist Church and was instrumental in the Sadler Methodist Church getting its historical marker in 1977. Betty was also active in many groups, organizations too numerous to include. Before starting her teaching career, Betty worked at Sears in the children’s department – working her way up to head buyer for the store.

In 2012, Betty moved to The Woodlands, Texas to be closer to her family. Betty is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Crystal and Clay Spires of The Woodlands, Texas; Grandson and wife, Austin and Jennifer Spires of Denver, Colorado and Granddaughter and husband, Julie and Chase Miller of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Visitation will be held at Meador Funeral Home of Whitesboro on Friday, October 18, 2019 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  Graveside services will be held at Sadler Cemetery on Saturday, October 19, 2019 at 10:00 AM, officiated by Reverend Doyle Henderson.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer’s Association or the charity of your choice.

The Howe Area Chamber of Commerce is preparing for its 3rd Annual Downtown Howe-lloween Festival.  The date is set for Oct. 26 from 6 pm—9 pm on Haning Street.

The idea of a downtown Trunk ‘R Treat type of event began in 2017 when members of FUMC (First United Methodist Church) approached the chamber about combining to make one big event downtown.  The first year saw a great number of people downtown, but last year’s crowd grew exponentially from the first year. 

“This event helps Howe by attracting people to our downtown area and letting people know that we are an active community,” said Robert Cannaday, president of the Howe Area Chamber of Commerce.  “In the past, this event has attracted people from inside and outside of Howe, which is great for bringing awareness to our town and activities. People who might have not known about our downtown and local businesses before are now fully aware of what we have going on here.”

FUMC is still a huge part of the Howe-lloween event as they have eight vendor spaces for games and candy.

“Kids will get to wear their costumes, play games, and collect candy from businesses and vendors,” said Chamber Board Treasurer Sarah Whitt.  “It will be an evening of good old fashioned Halloween family fun.”

Keep Howe Beautiful will host their 2nd Annual Chili Cook-off on the same night on Haning Street in front of the Fire Department.  With sponsorships, KHB raised over $1,800 a year ago with this event which is being used to construct the flower garden at Summit Gardens (formerly the First Christian Church).

Those willing to place their homemade chili in the competition can sign up to do so online at Eventbrite.  The chili cook-off is an Unsanctioned on-site cooking event (any chili, any flavor, floaties, non-floaties), Chili entrants are responsible for supplying crackers, tasting cups, and their tables and chairs.  There’s a two-gallon minimum. (Keep Howe Beautiful will supply the spoons). The entry fee will be returned for the Most Decorated Booth.  Leslie Defrange is the defending chili cook-off champion.

Cannaday says that the Howe-lloween event is not one that makes the chamber a lot of money, but it does great things for exposure to local businesses.

Whitt says that the chamber will be on-site to help organize the event and direct vendors to their location, but her favorite part is handing out candy to the youngsters.

Vendors that have signed up to date are:  Howe church of Christ, Amanda Byrd (pizza), TC Gutters & Home Remodeling, Howe Youth Softball, Fairytale Parties by Sidney, Caterly Couch, Howe Mercantile, Hester Magic, Origami Owl Custom Jewelry, Scentsy by Michelle B, Karen Hernandez, Feathered Indian Designs/Southern Grace Boutique, Maroon Red Soap, Lovely U Beauty Bar, Dusty Rows Farms, FUMC, and Renewal by Andersen.

Those interested in being a vendor can register for $10 per parking space (click here).  No electricity will be provided  – only space.

Jeff Stanley, a Howe High School Graduate was appointed mayor back in April 2009 and has run unopposed each consecutive term since. On Tuesday night at the regular Howe City Council meeting, Stanley resigned from the position of mayor effective immediately citing that he no longer has the time necessary to fulfill the duties.

Upon the city council’s approval, Stanley recommended that the position of mayor be acted upon in favor of Bill French, a longtime council member. The council voted in favor of French with all in favor besides French who abstained.

“I’ve put stipulations on myself that if I could not continue to do the job or did not have the time for the job, that I would step down. That time has come,” said Stanley in open forum at the council meeting. “Over the years, I’ve had to back off of a lot of the jobs that I do and don’t spend as much time at City Hall and I’ve had to step off of boards. This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, but it’s time.”

Stanley went on to say that he had talked with French several times over the past year about setting this plan in place.

“We’ve never set a date, but I called him up last week and said, ‘it’s time – if the council would agree,'” said Stanley. “I think it’s time for somebody new.”

Stanley is the longest-tenured mayor in the City of Howe history behind W.P. Thompson, who was voted mayor of Howe for at least nineteen consecutive terms spanning from 1913-1949.

French is a 26-year resident of Howe and has served on the Howe City Council for several consecutive terms and on two separate occasions dating back as early as the 1990s.

KCBD in Lubbock, Texas has reported that former Texas District 364 and Lubbock County Court Judge Brad Underwood, known during his days in Howe as “Steve” died at the age of 65 on Sunday, Oct. 13.

Underwood, a graduate of Howe High School in 1972, North Texas State, Midwestern State and the Texas Tech School of Law, retired from retired as judge of the 364th District Court in 2014 after his appointment in 1989. Prior to that, he was the Judge of the Lubbock County Court at Law No. 2 from 1986 to 1989.

He was the first judge of the 364th District court and after leaving that position he went on to work as a senior judge.

He started his career in 1979 as a law clerk for the Criminal District Attorney’s Office and from 1980 to 1986 served as Lubbock’s assistant criminal district attorney.

He was a past president of the Lubbock County Bar Association and a former member of the Texas Supreme Court Task Force on Foster Care. He was also a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Lubbock County Bar Association.

Underwood worked as a member and director of the Lubbock County Young Lawyers Association and former Director of the Lubbock County Bar Association. He was also a member of the Lubbock Lions Club since 1989.

Underwood also received awards for his charitable work including the One Who Cares Award by KCBD NewsChannel 11 and the Get Involved Award by the Volunteer Center of Lubbock. He also received the Lubbock County Bar Association President’s Commendation for his work on the Bar Association newsletter, the Law Notes.

He is survived by his wife Phyllis, mother Alma, daughter Courtney and granddaughter Lilly, son Jared, brother Tim and wife Mari, and sister Tina and husband Scott.

(Information in this article by KCBD-11 of Lubbock).