Mrs. Annie-Glenn Johnson Howell, 96, died Friday, December 29, 2017, a production day at her sons’ newspaper business. Such an occurrence has always been discouraged among the Howell family, associated with The Panolian for 62 years. Babies weren’t allowed to be born on press day, nor weddings held, nor people dying.

The one thing Miss Annie-Glenn had expressed in recent weeks was her wish not to disturb the wedding plans of great-grandson Nelson Howell, who was to wed Grace Hover in Liberty on New Year’s Eve. The wedding would take place as scheduled.

Funeral services for Miss Annie-Glenn will be Tuesday, January 2, at 3 p.m. at Batesville First United Methodist Church, where she was among the oldest members. Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. before the service. Dickins Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

Born August 12, 1921, she was the daughter of the late Daniel Rupert and Annie Dickins Johnson. She was a graduate of Batesville High School and the University of Mississippi, where she studied home economics. On August 31, 1943 she married Irenaeus Huntington Howell, a Birmingham native who had come to Panola County to work on Sardis Dam.

The couple made their home for a time in Fayette where Hunt was publisher of the Fayette Chronicle. In 1955 Hunt, with two partners, purchased The Panolian, and the couple returned to Batesville. They had three children, John, Rupert and Trudy, and Annie-Glenn was kept busy as a homemaker, scout troop leader, band booster, Bible School teacher. In addition, she took care of her elderly father and uncle, Brown Johnson.

She sang in the church choir, belonged to the Batesville Woman’s Club and the DAR, the Panola Genealogical and Historical Society and the Friends of the Library. Annie-Glenn had all kinds of friends, including the furry feral colony that assembles at her back door twice a day awaiting catfood. Her human friends came from all walks, income brackets, races, and age groups. During the last month of her life, she came to appreciate new friends, the army of caregivers who tended to her, and whose company she enjoyed.

Among those who will miss her are her children, John Howell and wife, Rosemary; Rupert Howell and wife, Rita; Trudy Howell Bounds and husband, David; grandchildren John Howell Jr. and wife, Jennifer; David Howell and wife, Charlotte; Mary Howell Taylor and husband, Phillip; Jack Bounds and Thomas Murphree; great-grandchildren, Hunt Howell and wife Mary Lynn; Nelson Howell and wife Grace; Blair Howell, Lauren Howell, Charlie Martin, Eli Taylor; great-great granddaughter Maci Martin.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Grace Place, Attention Derrick Simmons, 5033 Pope-Water Valley Road, Pope, MS 38658.