December 26, 1962 ~ May 14, 2026
Donnie Lee Howell, III, 63 of Vinita, passed away on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at his home. He was born on December 26, 1962, in Fort Smith, Arkansas to Donnie Lee Howell, II, and Marjorie Tempie (Dahm) Howell. Donnie was a graduate of Fort Smith Northside High School in 1980. He worked in the oilfields and drove trucks for Arkoma Supply. He loved Razorback football and basketball, watching NASCAR, dirt track racing, and going fishing. Donnie was a member of the Memorial Heights Baptist Church in Claremore.
He was preceded in death by his father and a sister, Becky Hargrove.
The family includes his mother, Marjorie Blaylock of Fort Smith; his daughter, Jamie Cotner-Copeland, and husband Bill of Vinita; sisters, Pattie Smith and Sandra Jones both of Fort Smith; grandchildren, Kyndra Cotner, Isabelle Cotner, Cheyenne, and River Cotner, and Adley Copeland.
The celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the Memorial Heights Baptist Church, 1500 W Will Rogers Blvd, in Claremore. Online condolences may be made at www.highsmithfh.com or on the funeral home Facebook page. Arrangements are in care of the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral and Cremation Services of Vinita. “Vinita’s only locally family owned and operated funeral home.”