Stephen Lee Howell

Stephen Lee Howell Obituary
Stephen was a witty and caring man who fiercely loved his family. He had a unique ability to bring people together and make them feel seen and loved. He wasn’t afraid to tell his story to people he barely knew because he wanted others to find the same freedom he had in Christ. Worship and service were a large part of his life. He served his church and family, played guitar, and counseled many individuals through Narrow Way Ministries. 

Stephen Lee Howell was born on July 9, 1983, in Hermiston, Oregon, to parents Jimmy Howell and Sheila (Hamman) Michael. He graduated from Hermiston High School in 2002.
While volunteering at Campus Life in Hermiston he met Jubilee Britt in 2003. It was love at first sight and he told many friends that night that he met the woman he was going to marry.  He was true to his word, and they eventually married on July 7, 2007. Two years later their first daughter, Madalyn Grace Howell, was born on December 18, 2009, and their second daughter, Elyse Marie Howell, came on September 27, 2012, which completed their family. 

Stephen was an avid hunter and fisherman. He also loved spending time outdoors camping with friends and family in Eastern Oregon.  He was also a youth Pastor at Oasis Vineyard Church in Hermiston for several years and led multiple mission trips to Mexico with youth kids. 

Stephen was an insurance agent with the Simmon’s Agency in Hermiston for 14 years. He was mentored in business and enjoyed the camaraderie with that team. There were many choices he made while in Hermiston that resulted in pain for others and he regretted the circumstances that resulted in him leaving Simmons.  However, the Lord used these events to shift him down a new path in Pendleton in 2018. 

He continued working full-time in insurance at Oregon Insurance Center in Pendleton until he founded Narrow Way Ministries in 2024. Starting this ministry after counseling men locally was the fruit that came from his time at Pure Life Ministries in Kentucky from Jan-Sept 2019. During his time there, he learned to live in transparency and freedom in the Lord which ultimately restored him to his family. He discovered a fully surrendered life in Jesus and started to help other men do the same.

Stephen discovered he had colorectal cancer in April of 2025. He was determined to pray and fight as the Lord guided him. The Lord gave him strength to minister to others throughout his treatment. In the midst of this hard time, he focused on finishing his life well and sharing his faith with everyone who would listen.

He died on March 28th, 2026, at his home in Weston, Oregon surrounded by his loving family.

He is survived by his wife, Jubilee Britt Howell, his daughters, Madalyn Grace Howell, and Elyse Marie Howell. In addition, his parents, Jimmy Howell, Sheila Hamman Michael, and his brothers, Travis Hamman, Chris Howell, and Joshua Weivoda, along with many other family members who will greatly miss him.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, April 25th at 10 am at The Vert Auditorium, 480 SW Dorion, Pendleton, Oregon. A reception will follow at Pendleton Church of God, 712 SW 27th St., Pendleton, Oregon.

Please share memories of Stephen with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com

Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, Oregon is in care of arrangements.  

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Stephen Lee Howell, please visit our floral store.