Feb. 18, 2010SOUTH BEND - Mr. Charles Edward Howell, affectionately known as "Charlie," passed away surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, February 18, 2010, at 3:40 a.m. Charles was the sixth of 10 children born to Lee and Lillie (Harris) Howell. He attended Central High School and Piney Woods Trade School in Mississippi. Upon his return to South Bend, Charles worked at Studebaker and Kaiser Jeep but spent most of his life working as an independent general contractor, in which he built the first scattered site housing for the South Bend Housing Authority. Charles was very involved in community affairs: he was the founder of Solidarity Day and was a well-known advocate for the Democratic Party. Charles was a lifetime member of the Elks Landing Lodge #298 where Charlie Howell Day was celebrated on May 9, 2009. Charles was also a charter member of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church under the pastorage of Reverend Henry L. Gideon Sr. Family members who survive to cherish his memory include his wife of 59 years, Elizabeth Howell; four daughters, Quincy Heflin, Kathy Cole, Renee (Willie) Davis and Judy Makori, all of South Bend; three sons, Charles Howell Jr. and Allen Howell, both of South Bend, and Glenn (Rebecca) Howell of Fort Wayne, Indiana; and two special granddaughters, Monica (Cedric) Harmon and Turkesha (Marius) Chaney, who they raised; 37 grandchildren, 73 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. Four sisters, Mamie (Tom) Taylor and Sylvia Warren of South Bend, Joann (Lee) Trammel and Henrietta Williams, both of California; two brothers, William (Catherine) Howell of Houston, Texas, and Henry Howell of Columbus, Ohio; six brothers-in-law, Joseph, Wayman (Gail), James (Rosalind) Husband of South Bend, Rex (Angela) Husband of Detroit, Michigan, and John Sanders of Chicago, Illinois; seven sisters-in-law, Annette Sanders and Sheryl (Catchings) of Chicago, Illinois, Mary Watkins, Ruth Martin and Victoria Husband, all of South Bend, Betty (Albert) Kingsberry of California and Barbara Tucker of Phoenix, Arizona. Preceding him in death are his parents, Lee and Lillie Howell; two children, Nancy Howell and William Howell-Bey; one granddaughter, Sanai Williams; and three siblings, Bobbie Durant, Rufus Howell and Hattie Harris. Visitation for Mr. Howell will be Wednesday, February 24, 2010, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. in Alford's Mortuary. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, February 25, 2010, at Progressive Missionary Baptist Church. Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery. Alford's Mortuary has been entrusted with the arrangements. Messages of condolence may be e-mailed to alfordsmortuary@comcast.net, c/o the Howell family.