Gretchen Brill Howald

Gretchen Brill Howald has, at last, been reunited with her beloved husbands Brill and John. Gretchen, 90, was born in Richland, Iowa on November 26, 1921 to the late Fremont and Gladys (Greeson) Hendrickson, and lived in the Columbus area most of her adult life. It was God’s will that she leave us on Friday, November 9, 2012. Among her many accomplishments, Gretchen graduated with honors from Iowa State University, and received her Masters’ Degree in Education for Guidance Counseling from The Ohio State University. With great pride in our country, she enlisted in the Army Medical Corps during WWII, and served as a 1st Lt. Dietician at Moore General Hospital, NC. Gretchen served as a visiting teacher with the Columbus Public Schools, and after her retirement, loved reading weekly to second grade students at Linden Elementary. She was an active member of Linden United Methodist Church, a former member of the Mifflin High School Board, NA-KU, CCL, and Phi Upsilon Omicron. Gretchen was preceded in death by her first husband Cecil R. Brill, her second husband John J. Howald, sister Mary (Gene) Lankford of Hot Springs, AK, and brother Bob (Bette) Hendrickson of Nashville, TN. She is survived by daughters Penny Parker of Cuyahoga Falls, OH, and Marcia (Michael) Dillon of Hilton Head Island, SC, sisters Pat (Robert) Houtz, Willits, CA and Margy (Jack) Alderson, Pasco, WA, grandson Andrew Sean Kilkenny of Columbus, nieces, nephews, and the deeply loved staff of Comfort Keeper caregivers. Family will receive friends 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at the Schoedinger North Chapel, 5554 Karl Rd., Columbus where funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. with Chaplain Rebecca Ozcomert officiating. Interment will follow in Riverside Cemetery. Gretchen’s wishes are that memorial contributions be made to the Senior Independence Hospice of Columbus, Ohio.