A funeral service for Charles Reece Howell, III, age 88, of Fayetteville, Tennessee, will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Higgins Funeral Home with Bro. Tim Hall officiating. Burial will follow in Lincoln Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Higgins Funeral Home.
Born on November 27, 1936, in Lincoln County, Tennessee, Reece was the son of the late Charles Reece Howell, Jr., and Emily Alberta Smith Howell. He was a 1955 graduate of Central High School in Fayetteville. Reece proudly served in the Tennessee National Guard and spent his life serving others through aviation, education, and community leadership. Mr. Howell passed away peacefully on May 8, 2025, at his residence.
A lifelong aviator, Reece turned a passion into a profession that spanned over five decades. In 1960, Reece, along with Clyde Shelton and Wallace Cobb, started Fayetteville Flying Service. He then began Corporate Flight Management in 1982, and later devoted his time to Howell Enterprises, where he dedicated his life to flight instruction and aviation safety. He became nationally recognized as the leading expert on the Mitsubishi MU-2B, logging over 33,500 total flight hours—more than 18,900 in the MU-2 alone. He flew the MU-2 in both corporate and Part 135 operations for more than 30 years and held ratings in the Learjet, BA-3100, and rotorcraft helicopters.
Reece served as a private and corporate pilot for a number of distinguished clients over the years, including CFW Corporation and the late Reverend Billy Graham, among others. His professionalism, discretion, and aviation skills made him a trusted pilot for those who demanded the very highest standards.
Highly respected in the aviation community, Reece was known for his ability to communicate complex concepts with clarity and patience. He held several FAA designations, including Pilot Examiner (since 1991), CIRE, FIE, ATPE, and SPE/SFIE. In recognition of his lifelong contributions to aviation, he was inducted into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame in 2008, received the FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for more than 50 years of accident-free flying, and was named “Flight Instructor of the Year.”
Beyond aviation, Reece lived a life of service and community involvement. He served as Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 117, was a dedicated member of the Smyrna Rotary Club, and remained a lifelong member of the Howell Hill Church of Christ. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, mentor, and friend, whose faith and character touched countless lives.
Reece is survived by his wife, Gayle Chumbley Howell; children, Charles Reece (Karen) Howell IV of Nashville, Tennessee, James Allen (Melanie) Howell of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Adele Howell (Stuart) Reed of Fayetteville, and Granville Richard (Mitzi) Howell of Fayetteville; grandchildren, Chad (Amy) Bellis, Shane (Kelly) Bellis, Ryan Howell, Dr. Katie Howell (Dr. Nathan) Lowhorn, Matthew Ryan Reed, Austin Reed, Connor (Allie) Reed, Cameron (Courtney) Howell, and Caragan (Logan) Bomar; great-grandchildren, Caitlyn Bellis, Alek Bellis, Emily Elizabeth Bellis, Ian Bellis, Blaine Reed, Braden Reed, Brevan Reed, and Caroline Reed; nieces Maria and Marta Balinski; and numerous extended family members and friends.
In addition to his parents, Reece was preceded in death by his son, David Lewis Howell; his daughter, Emily Anne Howell Bellis; and his sister, Nancy Rebecca Howell Balinski.
Higgins Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Charles Reece Howell, III—a man whose life was defined by faith, flight, and a dedication to excellence.
*All obituaries are submitted by family and friends of the deceased.
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