Howley Cupstid

Howley was born on August 23, 1924, to Isaac Charles and Susie Estelle Smith Cupstid near Crystal Springs, Mississippi, where Howley spent most of his early childhood.

Howley's older brother, Mickey, was married to Birdie, and they lived nearby. One day Birdie's sister, Maudie Belle, came to visit her. Howley, age 18, met Maudie Belle, age 16. That day, it was love at first sight, and after a short courtship, they were married on January 30, 1943. They had four sons Billy, Kenneth, Larry, and Ronnie. Ronnie became a UPC minister.

In 1947, Howley received the Holy Ghost at a brush arbor after he came home from WWII, where he served in Belgium and Germany. After his discharge from the Army, he and his wife, Maudie Belle, worked in the local church, where God called Howley to the ministry.

Bro. Howley was a good preacher, pastor, and he was a great carpenter. He built an addition on the church at Crystal Springs, built an addition on the Oak Grove Church in Morgantown, started a church in Mandeville, Louisiana, pastored in Warrenton, Missouri, built a church in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, and built the church in Ridgeland, Mississippi.

In his later years, he became an Honorary Minister in the UPC. He made the statement, "I have a problem; it's called old age.”

After he was not pastoring any longer, he attended Raymond UPC, where James F. Nations pastored. Later, when his son Ronnie became pastor at Ridgeland UPC, Bro. Howley and his wife began attending Ridgeland church. On July 22, 2011, God called Bro. Howley to his eternal home.