Dorothy Howard

Born in White Pine, West Virginia in 1926, Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Ola and Lorena (Grim) White, her loving husband of 63 years, John James Howard, her sisters, Madeline and Millie, brother Bill and daughter-in-law, Diane (John) Howard. Surviving are her three children, John James II of Columbus, Gregory (Jackie) of Lancaster and Jane Ann (Brad) Thoman of Bremen, grandchildren, Amy (Jeff) Strohm, Kimberly (Rich) Wagner, Zachary (Lacey) Thoman, Cody (Leah) Thoman, Andrew (Kylie) Howard, Natalie (Robert) Painter, Lane (Erica) Thoman and Michael Howard, and 14 great grandchildren. Also surviving are her sisters, Gwendolyn Ritchie (Parkersburg, W.Va.), Judith (Richard) McGrath (Canandaigua, NY), sisters-in-law, Frances White (Virginia Beach, Va.), Darlene Howard (Parkersburg, W.Va.), nieces and nephews.

Dorothy was fortunate to survive polio as an infant. She graduated from Calhoun County High School (W.Va.) in 1945 and then attended Mountain State Business College in Parkersburg for two years, receiving a degree in Bookkeeping. She worked seven years for the Royal Furniture Co. of Parkersburg. She met and married her loving husband, John, whose service with the U.S. Army took them to Ft. Benning, Ga. and later his work took them to Chicago. The family moved to Ohio in 1962 where they lived in Pickerington for nearly 50 years before moving to a retirement community in Lancaster, OH.

Dottie enjoyed floral arranging and won many awards for her unique designs. She was a member and served as President of the Pickerington Garden Club for many years. She served six years as Ohio State Fair Flower Show Chairwoman and twenty years as an Ohio Assn. of Garden Clubs judge. At her home, she took pride in growing beautiful flowers. She and John enjoyed traveling across the United States and Europe. They took many trips aboard the Ohio Valley College bus to W.V.U. football games and Florida for spring training. Other hobbies she shared with her husband and family were riding trains across the country, vacationing in Canada, and big band music. A charter member of East Livingston Baptist Church (Reynoldsburg), Dorothy enjoyed singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School, and Vacation Bible School.

In her Bible, she had a favorite verse written in the inside cover; “Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of thine heart.” Psalms 37:4. Dorothy took her delight in serving the Lord and is now resting peacefully in His Arms.

Visitation for Dorothy will be held Thursday, February 17, 2022, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM and Friday, February 18, 2022 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM with service following at Halteman-Fett & Dyer Funeral Home, 436 N Broad St, Lancaster, Ohio 43130. Dorothy will be laid to rest in Maple Grove Cemetery, Lancaster, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to FairHope Hospice Pickering House in Lancaster, Ohio.