Reece Howell

Reece H. Howell, age 20, of Kearney, passed away Monday, January 1, 2024, at Kearney Regional Medical Center. A celebration of life service will be at 4:20 p.m., Saturday, January 27, at the Kearney American Legion Club. Donations can be made in Reece’s name to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or to his parents to help them honor the loss of their child.

Checks can be made out to the Reece Howell Memorial.

To leave online condolences please visit www.hlmkfuneral. com. Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Reece was born on October 30, 2003, at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings to Kelly and Carrie (Mizner) Howell. He loved drawing, he filled reams of computer paper up with his artwork. He collaborated with his siblings and dad on some of his sketches.

His mom’s favorite cards for special occasions were ones Reece made.

He enjoyed spending one on one time with his parents, siblings, grandma, and cousin, Max Mizner. He delighted in spinning fantastical tales of wonder to whomever would listen.

Plants were a joy to Reece. He loved filling tubs and buckets with flowers, plants, and produce. He planted and grew a small watermelon this year, as well as a pepper plant. He planned to grow more this year.

Reece was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on April 2, 2019. This disease is hard on everyone, but occasionally diabetes chooses one individual and kicks their ass. Unfortunately for us that individual was Reece.

His life may have been short, but it burned so bright. He touched people’s lives all over the world. He died as he was born in his mother’s arms.

He is survived by his parents Kelly and Carrie (Mizner) Howell, of Kearney; his siblings, Rax and Rhea Howell, of Kearney; grandma, Jo (Fox) Mizner, of Kearney; and aunts and uncles, Shawn and Nikki (Streeter) Mizner and family, of Kearney, Randy and Sue (Donahue) Howell and family, of Aurora, Mike and Lisa (Carlson) Howell and family, of Polk, and Renee Harp, of Grand Island.

He was preceded in death by his grandpa, Earl Mizner, and grandparents, Gary and Deloris (Larington) Howell, as well as many beloved pets.