Sophia Howell

Funeral: 3 p.m. Friday at Shannon Rufe Snow Funeral Chapel with visitation 1 to 3 p.m. Friday. A second service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, at Oakey's Funeral Home, Vinton Chapel, 627 Hardy Road, Vinton, Va., with visitation noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday. Interment: Mountain View Cemetery, Mountain View at Ruddell Road, Vinton, Va.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family wishes a donation be made to Community Hospice of Texas, 6100 Western Place, Suite 500, Fort Worth, Texas 76107.

Sophia lived the early years of her life with her family in Virginia, attending William Byrd High School in Vinton, Va., where she met the love of her life and future husband, Edgar F. Howell. They were married in Vinton in 1946. Edgar's work brought many moves throughout their life together. In 1969 they moved to Baton Rouge, La., where, when their daughter went to college, Sophia went back to school to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. Upon graduation, and in addition to her other nursing work, she became a volunteer nurse with one of the first hospices in the Baton Rouge area. Sophia and Edgar moved to Texas in 2003 to be closer to their daughter, son-in-law and the pride and joy of their lives, their granddaughter, Jamie.

Sophia lived the last six years of her life at Horizon Bay Assisted Living and Retirement Home in North Richland Hills. While there, she made many friends and was known as the unofficial "meeter and greeter" of new residents. She enjoyed helping people who had just moved in to feel welcome and at home, offering to help in any way she could. During her last two years there, she had a wonderful team of caregivers from Homewatch CareGivers who helped her continue to live her life on her own terms. With their help, she was able to continue to live independently, while pursuing her longtime love of gardening and socializing, dispensing her wisdom and advice to anyone she felt she could help.

Sophia was preceded in death by her husband and forever sweetheart of 46 years, Edgar F. Howell, in 2003; her sister, Mondia Dyer, of Roanoke, Va.; and her parents, Charles B. and Julia J. Eller.

Survivors: Daughter and son-in-law, Becky and Skipper Kendrick of Hurst; granddaughter and light of her life, Jamie Kendrick of Hurst; sisters, Sarah and Charlotte Eller of Winchester, Va.; brother-in-law and his wife, the Rev. David Howell and Edith; nieces, Julia Dyer, Katy Freed and Sarah Mellecker; nephew, Mark Howell; several great-nieces and great-nephew; and one great-great-nephew, all from her beloved home state of Virginia. She also left behind three very special friends, whom her family would like to thank for their help and compassion, Judy Parker, Debbie Rawlinson and Blondine Lucas.

Arrangements under the direction of Shannon Rufe Snow Drive Funeral Chapel, Fort Worth, TX.