Decatur – At 9:40 p.m. on December 30, 2010 D. Eileen Howard passed peacefully into the arms of our Lord and now resides in Heaven. Her daughter Shirley welcomed her with open arms having waited nearly ten years for her mother to arrive.
Eileen was born in Mt. Zion, IL on November 9, 1926 the daughter of Burt and Bertha Allen. She graduated from Mt. Zion High School. At the age of 19 she met, fell in love with and married Joseph Carry. She remained a faithful wife to Joe until his death in 1981. During this time she successfully trained to become an LPN. She had a very rewarding career at DMH as a pediatric LPN. She was well loved by the staff and patients alike, leaving a lasting impression on whomever she met. We don’t believe that anyone ever disliked Eileen. Her personal passions, other than children, were yellow roses and music. Four years after Joe’s death, Eileen was blessed to fall in love and marry another good man, Ira Howard. He preceded her in death in 1996.
Eileen became a mother to five children: Shirley (Don) Jones, Wanda Carry, Edward (Yvonne) Carry, Bonnie (David) Gessford, and Karen (Mark) Scranton. She was a wonderful mother who cared deeply for her children and worked hard to provide for them. She was a loving sister to Janet Norman. She was a loving sweet grandmother to Jennifer Bodine, Glenn Jones, Penny Bale, Melody Parks, Trina Anderson, Joe carry, Nathan Scranton, Heather Scranton, and Abriana Gessford. She was a great grandmother to Brandon Bale, Austin Bruner, Bradley Bale, Aidan Anderson, Allison Anderson, Rebecca Bale, Gabriel Carry, Gabriel Parks, Saheira Carry, Madison Parks, Payton Gessford, and Drake Scranton.
We have all been immeasurably saddened, but are overjoyed that she has passed to a place where she no longer struggles with pain or labored breathing and has regained her memory once again. She was an absolute uncomplaining sweetheart until the time of her passing. Wife, Mom, Grandma, Sister, Aunt, Great Aunt, Great Grandmother, Nurse, treasured friend…She was all of these and more, but for all those who knew and loved her, she has left nothing but fond memories and love.
A visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. till 8:00 p.m., Monday evening, January 3, 2011. The family would like to invite anyone who was touched by Eileen to come and visit with us at Dawson & Wikoff Funeral Home in Mt. Zion. Her life will be celebrated in a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at the funeral home. Burial will follow the service at Fairlawn Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest, next to Joe. Memorials may be made in her memory to the Arthritis Foundation and messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.dawson-wikoff.com.
