Shirley A. Howard

Shirley Ann (Hamilton) Howard, Age 99 years, 7 months

June 16, 1924 – January 16, 2024

Mass of Christian Burial:  Thursday, May 2, 2024, 11:00 a.m. Mary Our Queen Catholic Church, 3405 S. 118 St., Omaha, NE.  Memorials will be directed by the family.

 Shirley was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Will; her mother and father, Dorothy and William Hamilton; son Michael Howard; daughter-in-law Debbie Howard; sons-in-law Dr. Tim Linehan, Terry Sweeney; grandson Hank Thompson; sisters Jackie Frary and Sr. Marjorie Hamilton, RGS, and brother Bill Hamilton.

Shirley is survived by four children:  Judy Linehan (Wes Hamilton); Margie (Steve) McGovern; Karen Sweeney; and Dan (Tina) Howard, as well as 16 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.

Shirley was born in Shenandoah, Iowa and was the 3^rd of three daughters, each 2 years apart.  Three years later, a brother was born to the family.

Mom had a challenging life starting in the later 1920’s when her father abandoned the family, and her mother was left to single-handedly support and raise the four children during the depression and World War II.  Many times, the children were shuffled to grandparents and aunts and uncles, from both maternal and paternal sides of the family.  Relatives helped Grandmother care for the children at the leanest times for her, when she was looking for work, at times of illness, and when the cupboards were empty.  Grandmother was always looking for relief services to help with rent, etc.  But she was a proud woman and never gave up in her quest to take care of her children.

Shirley and siblings attended Catholic grade schools through the years. Numerous moves made changing schools very difficult for them.  She finally graduated 8^th grade at St. Bernards, in Omaha.  She graduated from Benson High School in 1942, and went to work at the telephone company and later Marcotte Insurance Agency.

Shirley met her soon-to-be husband, Will Howard, on a blind date, in August of 1942.  He received his draft notice and was inducted into the Army in January of 1943.  Shirley made a trip to see him in September of 1943 and they were married on October 2, 1943 in the rectory of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in New Jersey.  By the middle of December, Will got his orders to ship out and Mom went back home to Omaha pregnant with her first child Judy, who was born July 27, 1944. Will was discharged a year later. They had four more children in next 11 years.

Mother and Dad were always active and busy.  They square danced and joined a bowling league at Pius the X Church.  Sundays were set aside for a family and dinners with both grandmothers. There were camping trips as a family, and through the years they travelled as much as they could together, including visiting two daughters whose husbands were in the Air Force and lived in Alaska and in Germany.

Mom had a very creative life and loved to sew for herself and her daughters.   She was a perfectionist at everything she did!!  She took sewing classes, she made Christmas decorations for everyone, and she did about every craft you could imagine, including ceramics, refinishing wood, needlepoint, framing pictures and organizing and keeping up her family photo albums.  She always loved to read and kept a spreadsheet which was filled with the many books she read over the years.  It appears to hold over 2,000 titles!  She made many trips to the library!  She played bridge, pinochle, solitaire and loved crossword puzzles.  She played games on her computer until her eyesight made it prohibitive.

Mom was always busy taking care of our home and making meals.  Monday was washday, she ironed on Tuesday, Friday she cleaned the whole house, and every day of the week had an assigned dinner meal.

Mom cared for and worried about her children and grandchildren through the years.  She never stopped!  I’m sure she prayed for each of us also!  We believe we turned out to be good people, and we are sure that her prayers helped!  She loved her many long-time friends and stayed close through the years. They enjoyed frequent luncheons together at favorite restaurants or at each other homes.

Mom went back to work in the 1960’s.  She worked for the Archdiocesan Social Action Office, later at the Chancery, and then for the Good Shepherd Order as secretary to the Superior.

We all have been amazed by her vigor, strength and longevity!!  Probably her stubbornness has gotten her to this very ripe age of 99 years and 7 months.  In the last 5 years she broke 2 hips, had many falls including hitting her head, she had Covid at least twice, she could not walk without aides, she was losing her eye sight, she could not hear well, but she kept on going like the Energizer Bunny!  She is the last family member on both her side and Will’s side of the family to pass, and she has outlived all her dear friends.

In the last 3 years one of the things that kept her going was her quiet faith, daily mass and communion, and a wonderful caregiver at New Cassel Retirement by the name of Delores!

We think the Lord was calling to her to go home to him those last few weeks before she passed.  When she napped in the hospital and at rehab, her lips were moving as in conversation, and she would smile.  Then on her last day, with Karen and Dan by her side, she seemed to be in conversation again, and a huge smile appeared again…and then she breathed her last and entered into the loving arms of our Lord Jesus Christ!!

We love and miss you our dear Mom and Grandma!!