Elizabeth Josephine Howard

Elizabeth “Jo” Howard, age 93, passed away Sunday afternoon, September 22, 2019, surrounded by her loving family.

She was born in the small, rural town of Spencer, Indiana in 1925. Growing up, she enjoyed spending time with her 13 cats and multiple dogs. Elizabeth had a life-long devotion to education. She graduated valedictorian from Spencer High School and attended MacMurray College in Illinois for one year before taking a year off to work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base during World War II. From 1945-1948 she attended Indiana University, earning a B.S. in Chemistry. After college, she moved to Wilmington, Delaware to work at E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company at the Experimental Station. It was there she started dating Edward G. Howard Jr. In 1951, they married and moved to Hockessin where they raised three daughters and numerous cats, dogs, rabbits, and ducks. In 1976, she continued her education, earning a B.A. in Studio Art from the University of Delaware.

Elizabeth was an accomplished artist— creating masterpieces in oil, water color, and pastels. She was a member of PENN Women, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, and a 28-year member of the Howard Pyle Studio Group in Wilmington. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, as well as a devout Christian, creative chef, and enthusiastic singer. She was a lover of cats, chocolate, musical theater, art museums, and anything having to do with her grandchildren. She was forgiving, compassionate, and always saw the good in people. She will be missed.

She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Edward G. Howard Jr, her three daughters, Patricia (Ted Krichels) Howard, Anne (Stephen) Cleary, and Joan (Doug) Howard-Jones, and five grandchildren— Alex and Hayley Krichels, Rory and Melissa Jones, and Ryan Cleary. Elizabeth was predeceased by her parents, Raymond Proctor and Flossie Edwards.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the following organizations: PALS Programs (a yearly camp that creates immersive experiences for young adults with Downs syndrome) at www.palsprograms.org/donate. Faithful Friends Animal Society (a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a no kill shelter in Wilmington) at www.faithfulfriends.us/donate/ or to the Howard Pyle Studio Group (supporting women artists), checks can be made out to Studio Group Inc., and mailed to 106 Sycamore Dr., West Grove, PA 19390, Attention Anna Bellenger.