Mrs. Delois Howard

Celebrating The Life Of Delois Howard: Delois Howard – was a woman of pure unconditional love. She was a great listener, had a generous soul, a great sense of humor, and she was the best wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother (in the whole universe). She was the foundation and glue that united each family branch. While surrounded by family – who caressed her, held her hand, kissed her cheeks and forehead, told her they loved her and told her it was okay to let go to join her husband and son Anthony – she made her transition to join the ancestors at 2:34 p.m., Thursday, May 24, 2018, at Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit. Delois was born on September 21, 1933 in St. Louis, Missouri. The daughter of Frank Rowan (33 years old) and Mildred Rowan (maiden name West, 28 years old), she was the eldest of four siblings: Eleanor (preceded in death), Richard (preceded in death), baby brother (preceded in death) and Barbara Watters (a character in her own right). She graduated from Vashon High School on June 13, 1951 in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended college with aspirations to become a nurse, but a little thing called “love” got in the way. Her heart was captured by a stunning, handsome man during a social dance where she met Ruppert W. Howard, an Airman Second Class for the United States Air Force. The two dated, fell in love and on the night of December 22, 1953, Ruppert asked for Delois’ hand in marriage. On Saturday, September 25, 1954, Ruppert and Delois were married at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory Church in Detroit, Michigan. To this union six children were born: Calvin, Anthony (preceded in death), Ruppert II, Shawn, Marc and Laura. The two honeymooned in Canada and then moved into their first home – a little green trailer—in Spenard, Alaska, where Ruppert was stationed. From there the Air Force took Ruppert and Delois to live in many locations that included: Salisbury, Germany; Lubbock, Texas; Oahu, Hawaii; Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Roswell, New Mexico; Alpena, Michigan; Ferndale, Michigan, and then to Detroit, Michigan where they settled and lived for over 40 years. Growing up during The Great Depression, she would tell stories of how poor her family was and how she had to stand in long food lines just to get a meal of bread and soup. This era shaped and defined her character. Food was always gathered, stored and shared. She canned fruits and vegetables from her garden. She always requested ‘doggie bags’ for leftovers in restaurants, which drove her husband bonkers, and she always brought home bags of school lunch food—salisbury steak, cubed turkey, pizza that tasted like cardboard, and mashed potatoes—from her job as a lunch attendant. When you entered her house she would always offer you food, be it a snack, homemade popsicles, reheated school food or a full cooked meal, guests were always fed. She always recited her number one rule: ‘No food goes wasted in this house,’ and if her kids left food on their plate she would eat it or save it for another day. Or, if one of her children was defiant and hardheaded and refused to eat their brussel sprouts, lima beans or broccoli they were not permitted to leave the table until the food was eaten . . . many battles were lost to her strong hold rule. Even though she was a stay-at-home mom, Delois’ work ethic was unstoppable. She did whatever it took to help provide for her children’s well-being including: selling Avon, going door-to-door delivering Yellow Pages, being a Den mother for the Cub Scouts and Webelos, teaching Sunday school, attending PTA meetings and working part-time for over 30 years as a Coordinator in Food Service for Emerson Middle School. Delois was very simplistic, you could give her a rock and she would treasure it like it was a bar of gold. She kept every card, photo, drawing that was given to her. And if you needed a dime and she had a dime the dime was yours because it was in her heart to be giving and help those in need. She was a natural beauty who rarely wore makeup and she had no need to waste money getting her nails and hair done, like other women, as she had better things in life to focus on. Her sanctuary was her bed where she enjoyed Barbie doll fashion shows with her daughter, granddaughters, and great-granddaughter, read books and the funny paper to her children, watched TV and movies and sharing news about loved ones. Anyone that walked into her home knew to go straight to her bedroom and sit on the brown rocking chair for a chat, while she stayed in bed – her sanctuary. Delois was baptized and remained a devoted Catholic. She belonged to St. Scholastica Church in Detroit, and although in her senior years she could not make it to church she still watched televised Mass service each Sunday. Her beliefs in God and Christ led her to guide her family with wisdom, unconditional love and strength. She will be missed.

Mrs. Delois Howard

September 21, 1933 - May 29, 2018