Maria Ada Howell

On April 10, 1964, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Maria married Merlin Boyd Howell from Guymon, Oklahoma. Maria and Merlin remained inseparable until the time of her passing 52 loving and devoted years later. Together, they found great joy in raising their children and spending time with family and friends and took pleasure in cooking, growing orchids, gardening, collecting arts and crafts and antiquing.

Maria also found purpose in her career as a registered nurse. For over 40 years, she lived her passion for helping adults and children better their personal health. Maria spent the early years of her career as an emergency and operating room nurse at Fort Buchanan in San Juan, Puerto Rico and most of her career as a school nurse at Roosevelt Roads Naval Air Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. She attended to and helped over 15,000 children during her tenure at Roosevelt Roads Elementary, Middle and High Schools. Her students knew they could always turn to her for a compassionate ear and straight talk without judgment. She was a caring soul tending to numerous issues ranging from scrapes and cuts to hearing and vision tests, to personal and more serious health concerns. Her office door was always open, and her students (and sons) always knew it.

Maria was the oldest of nine children. She is preceded in death by her mother Maria Aurelia Rodriguez, her father Manuel Rodriguez, her stepfather Pablo Sagardia, her sister Minerva Sagardia, and brother Tito Sagardia. She is survived by her husband Merlin Howell; her sons Thomas, Wayne, Paul, William; her five grandchildren Megan, Zachary, Elizabeth, Spencer, and Harper; her sisters Elsa Sagardia, Milín Sagardia, Paula Lebron; and brothers Isidoro Sagardia, Pablo “Junior” Sagardia, and Wilson Sagardia.

Private services will be held at 11:50AM on Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at Barrancas National Cemetery at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. She is dearly missed, but her spirit and memory will live on in the hearts of her family, and in the many children and families, she served throughout her life. Donations may be made in her name to the Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org) and Covenant Care (https://choosecovenant.org).

Arrangements under the direction of National Cremation & Burial Society, Milton, FL.