Helen Maxine Howard 1926-2010

HOWARD, DAVIS, HARRY, HOLTHAUS, DYER

Posted By: Kathy Kurth Holtry
Date: 5/6/2010 at 05:32:02

Cedar Rapids Gazette May 06, 2010
Helen Maxine (Harry) Howard

Helen Maxine (Harry) Howard, 84, formerly of Manchester, died May 2, 2010, at Hospice Care facility in Madison, Wis. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 8, at Manchester United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Jim Illiff officiating. Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. Friday at Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Manchester. Burial of cremains will be in Oakland Cemetery, Manchester.

Helen was born Feb. 9, 1926, on her family’s farm near Colesburg, Iowa. She was one of six children born to James Cleveland and Edna Marie (Davis) Harry. Helen was educated in the Colesburg public schools and graduated from Colesburg Consolidated High School in 1944 in the Normal Training program, preparing her to become a rural schoolteacher. She was valedictorian of her class. Helen received additional normal training at the University of Dubuque and the University of Iowa.

Following her high school graduation, Helen taught in numerous rural schools in Delaware and Clayton counties in Iowa. Helen married Hobart L. “Hobie” Howard on May 20, 1951, in Colesburg. They were the parents of three sons: Dale Allen Howard, Gary David Howard and Lynn Charles Howard.

Helen Howard was involved with numerous church and community organizations throughout her adult life and served in many capacities in the United Methodist Church in Manchester. Her family and her strong faith were very important to her throughout her life.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, Cleve and Edna Harry; her husband, Hobie Howard; infant son, Lynn Charles Howard; brother, Donald Harry; sister, Gail Holthaus; and brother-in-law, Karl Holthaus.

Helen is survived by her two sons and daughters-in-law, Dale (Mickey) Howard and Gary (Leanne) Howard; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters-in-law, Cletus (Mary Kay) and Roger (Joyce); sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis (John) Dyer; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

She will be greatly missed by all those whose lives she touched.