Howard Drain

Obituary For Howard Drain

Howard Drain, 90, passed June 11, 2026 in Trenton, NJ.

Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church in Salem, AL with Rev. Quincey Dorsey, officiating.

Howard Drain at 90 years old went to be with the Lord, June 11, 2026 peacefully at Hamilton Grove Nursing Home in Mercerville, NJ.

Howard Drain was born on December 12, 1935 to Lannie Drain. He was the eldest of five children. After the passing of his mother, Lannie Drain-Render in 1952, Howard was sent to live with his uncle and aunt Nelson Davis and Annie Francis Davis in Fairfax, AL.

Howard was lovingly nicknamed Bo by the family. He accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Central Baptist Church under Pastor J.C. Cook in Phenix City, AL. Howard attended Flint Hill Elementary School in Salem, AL, Colquitt Hill Elementary in Phenix City, AL and Central Junior High in Phenix City, AL. After Junior High he went to work in the Mill. He set aside a percentage of his check every payday to send to his aunt Ethel Drain-Dorsey to help take care of his two baby sisters, Brenda and Johnnie Mae.

Howard joined the Army at the age of 18. After leaving the military he relocated to FL and began working in construction. He later relocated to Trenton, NJ and started his own paving business “Howard Drain Paving”. His business thrived in Trenton, NJ along with his reputation. He was well known and respected for his reliability and dedication to providing nothing but top notch work throughout the years, creating a highly favored reputation for himself in the surrounding cities through word of mouth. Howard met Susan Johnson and became a father to David Howard Drain in 1989. In 2012 he retired from his beloved business.

In Howard’s past time, he could be found listening to gospel music and studying the word of God in his Bible. He loved dogs. He had four over the years Pepper, Champ, Lucky and his favorite, LuLu. Howard was a big fan of flea markets and yard sales, frequenting them regularly through the years.

Howard is preceded in death by his mother, Lannie Drain-Render, his step father, John Render, his brother Nolan Drain, and Susan Johnson, his devoted partner and mother of his only son.

He leaves to mourn his son David Howard Drain, his step son, Rahman Johnson, his sisters, Mildred Hardy, Johnnie Mae Flewellen and Brenda Porch, his brother in law, Jim Porch and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

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