Virginia Howell by Diane Findlay

Virginia was a dear friend who was a regular for many years at our study circles, deepenings, holy day gatherings, etc.. She remained active in her church and never enrolled as a Baha’i. Still, her family acknowledged “her Baha’i community” in her obituary. Here’s the text:

Obituary

Virginia Howell, 71, passed away at her home on Sunday evening, May 22, 2016 from the effects of colon cancer with daughters Megan and Kathleen at her side.

Born January 17, 1945 to Samuel Robert and Mary Frances (Walker) Crockett of Salem, VA, the youngest of three children, Virginia graduated from Andrew Lewis High School in 1963 and from Madison College in 1967. She married Glenn Michael “Mike” Howell (7/11/1945 – 8/10/1996) in 1967.

Virginia spent many years as a children’s librarian at the Roy R. Estle Memorial Library in Dallas Center, IA, where she enjoyed running the story time and summer reading programs and enhancing the love of reading for children.

Virginia was an active member of her church, be it Dutilh United Methodist in Cranberry Township, PA or her Baha’i group or United Methodist Church in Dallas Center, IA.

Virginia had a true love and appreciation for poetry and literature, baking, cooking, quilting and knitting as well as playing the dulcimer. She spent many of her afternoons in the good company of the “Crafty Ladies” creating and laughing together. Virginia loved a good game and also enjoyed her time playing mahjong every week. She volunteered much of her time at the Planned Parenthood Book Sale, sometimes bringing home more books than she sorted.

Her legacy will be the love she had for her family and friends, the regular Sunday family meals she hosted, her fried chicken, her love of a good dessert, her unique disposition (even during the most trying days of her illness) and her endearing habit of breaking out into robust recitation of verse or song without reservation.

Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Mike and her sister-in-law Nedra Crockett; she is survived by her three children, Michael Lawrence Howell, of Wartrace, TN, Megan Pauline (Chris) Cline of Minburn, IA; and Mary Kathleen (Jeff) Warren of Des Moines, IA; grandchildren Cade, Luke, and Cole Warren and Chase Cline; her brother, Robert (Richard Gourley) Crockett of Savannah, GA; her sister, Mary Lou (Wendell) Ayers, of Yorktown, VA; her special friend Gerry Klinkefus and many nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 10 – 11 a.m. Saturday, May 28, at the Dallas Center United Methodist Church where a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Roy R. Estle Memorial Library or Brenton Arboretum in Dallas Center, IA.

“Hyacinths To Feed The Soul”

If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft,
And from thy slender store two loaves alone to thee are left,
Sell one, and with the dole
Buy hyacinths to feed the soul.
Attributed to the Gulistan of Moslih Eddin Saadi