Joan Howe

Joan P. Howe (82) of Temple, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.

Albert was born July 17, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois, to Albert and Mary (Kovac) Howe. He joined the Army in 1955 and served several tours in Vietnam and was honorably discharged in 1969 at the rank of Captain. It what his time in the Army that brought him to the central Texas area. After leaving the Army, he worked as a civil engineer at Temple Blueprint & Civil Engineering until his retirement to spend time with his family and earn his pilots license.

Joan was born March 9, 1941 in Flat Rock, Illinois, to Verl and Sylvia Pauline (Simpson) Lamb. She graduated from Joliet Township High School. While raising a family, she received her degree in nursing from Kankakee Community College in Illinois in 1979, at the age of 38. She then worked as a nurse at a local hospital until moving to Temple, TX in the fall of 1981. Upon arriving in Temple, she immediately began working as a nurse at the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Medical Center, until her retirement in 2005.

Albert and Joan were married on September 28, 1984.

They were both die-hard Cowboy’s fan, loved NASCAR. Albert loved anything to do with flying and space. Joan had a love for reading, sewing, and quilting.

Albert and Joan were preceded in death by their parents and one grandchild.

Albert was also preceded in death by his three sisters, Mary, Margaret, and Delores; and his first wife, Virginia “Jo” Gilbert

Albert and Joan are survived by their children Norma (Samuel) Garcia, Dean (Renate) Johnson, Verl Johnson, and Carrie (Marcello) D'Landazuri; seventeen grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Joan is also survived by her siblings, Charles “Jim” Lamb, Eugene “Gene” Lamb, Robert McCall, Mary Swanson; and step-brother Don Billings.

A joint service for Joan and her late husband, Albert W. Howe, Jr. will be held Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 10:00am at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home, Temple, TX. Followed by inurnment for both at 2:00pm at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, Killeen, TX.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.crawfordbowerstemple.com for the Howe family.