Albert Carmack "A.C." Howell, Jr.

View Funeral Webcast Albert Carmack (A.C.) Howell, Jr., 83, retired Maury County Budget Director, died Saturday, October 15, at NHC Maury Regional Transitional Care. The son of the late Albert Carmack Howell, Sr., and Nancy Helen Little Howell, was born on October 13, 1939, in Dyersburg, TN. After graduating from Columbia Central High School in 1957, he attended Tennessee Tech, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics. A.C. returned to Columbia following graduation and was employed as a teacher at Columbia Military Academy. After two years at CMA, he became commandant of cadets and remained in that position until 1974 when he left CMA to become assistant budget director of Maury County. A.C. became budget director and director of purchasing after two years and continued in these positions for 24 years, retiring in 1999. In 1973, he opened The Wheel Bicycle Shop on the Columbia Public Square and operated it through December 2016. A.C. was a past president of the Columbia Noon Rotary Club, past member of the Columbia Planning Commission, former Chairman of the Columbia Historic Planning Commission, and a past board member of King’s Daughters School, Habitat for Humanity, Columbia Main Street, and Rippavilla as well as a member of the first class of Leadership Maury. He was a long-time member and elder of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and attended church at McCain's. In his youth, A.C. participated in many sports, but his first love was baseball. He was member of the Little League, Pony League, CHS, and American Legion teams. As an adult, he followed baseball and enjoyed many spring training trips to Florida and Arizona with his friends. A.C. was a member of the Southway group that met often for lunch with no agenda. During his tenure as budget director, A. C. was fortunate to work with many outstanding county commissioners on such projects as the Columbia courthouse, courthouse square buildings, the Memorial Building, Rippavilla, and financial negotiations with the Saturn Corporation. A.C. was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Judith Gillespie Howell. He is survived by daughters Amy Howell Carney of Memphis and Mary (Jeff) Mahoney of Nashville, grandchildren Michael Mahoney and William Mahoney of Nashville and Mary Claire Carney and Catherine Carney of Memphis, and brother Greg (Therese) Howell of Franklin. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 11:00 A.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Reverend Jimmy Peyton and Linda Lester officiating. The family will visit with friends Saturday from 10:00 A.M. until service time at the funeral home. A private burial will be held at McCains Cemetery. The family suggests memorials to McCain's Cumberland Presbyterian Church, P. O. Box 29, Columbia, TN 38402. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com. Active pallbearers will be Gayden Green, Steve Howell, Ben High, Mike Perry, Bobby Brooks, and Michael E. Caruthers, Jr. Honorary pallbearers include Tommy Cook, Don Howell, Michael E. Caruthers, Sr., John Church, Tom Fleming, Jerry Battles, David Edwards, Keith Brown, Alton Kelly, elders of the McCain's Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and former employees from the Maury County Budget Office.