Helen L. Howell
Helen Lorraine Dowd Howell, 92, of Vandalia died Friday, June 16, 2017 at St. Joseph’s Bluffs Care Center in Jefferson City.
Funeral services will be Thursday at 10 a.m., at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Paul Hartley officiating. Interment will be in Vandalia Cemetery.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6-8 p.m., at Waters Funeral Chapel in Vandalia.
She was born Jan. 24, 1925 in Bonne Terre, the daughter of Edward Francis and Agnes Lillian Hoaglund Dowd. She married William Leighton Howell on May 27, 1948 in Hannibal. He preceded her in death Feb. 16, 1996.
Survivors include two sons, William L. Howell Jr. and wife, Kathy. of Columbia; and Michael E. Howell and wife, Barbara of Webster, Minn.; two daughters, Patricia J. Gibson and husband, Jerry of Kalama, Wash., and Mary C. Cooper and husband, Dean of Wardsville; two brothers, Richard H. Dowd of Fruitland, Mary., and Bernard P. Dowd of Deerfield, Ill.; eight grandchildren, Jonathan Gibson and wife, Laurie of Santa Cruz, Calif.; Jeremy Gibson and wife, Bonnie of Portland, Ore.; Alicia Gibson Villanueva and husband, Rex of Seattle, Wash.; Katie Howell Schwalbe and husband, Luke of Northfield, Minn.; Meaghan Howell of Minneapolis; Benjamin Cooper and Christopher Cooper, both of Wardsville and Emma Howell of Columbia; five great-grandchildren, Madeline and William Gibson of Santa Cruz; Lucy and Daisy Gibson of Portland, Oregon and Faye Villanueva of Seattle.
Helen graduated from the University of Missouri in 1946 with a bachelor’s degree in education. She began teaching home economics at the Vandalia High School that fall. Helen went back to Mizzou and received her master’s in education in December, 1973. She then taught remedial reading at the Van-Far Elementary School until retiring in 1987.
She was a faithful member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Altar and Rosary Society and she served on the Van-Far School Board. She enjoyed helping with Tuesday evening Mass at the WERDCC for many years, playing bridge, antiquing, golfing, and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Helen owned and operated the Prairie Flower Antiques Shop on Main Street in Vandalia for several years.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, William; two brothers, James D. Dowd and Robert C. Dowd.
Pallbearers will be Jonathan Gibson, Jeremy Gibson, Alicia Gibson Villanueva, Benjamin Cooper, Christopher Cooper, Jerry Gibson, and Dean Cooper. Honorary pallbearers will be Katie Howell Schwalbe, Meaghan Howell, and Emma Howell.
Memorials are encouraged to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2400 Bluff Creek Drive, Columbia, MO 65201.
