Lonita Howard passed away in Memphis, Texas, on Dec. 12, 2022, surrounded by her loving family. She was 94 years old.
Services took place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, at Robertson Funeral Directors Heritage Chapel in Memphis. Lonita’s burial followed in Rowe Cemetery, located in Hedley, Texas, among her great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and her younger brother, Ronnie Hickey.
Viewing was held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the funeral home in Memphis on Friday, Dec. 16. The family received friends from 4 to 6 p.m.
Lonita was born March 5, 1928, to Elvin and Vera Hickey in Clarendon, Texas. The family moved to El Paso, Texas in 1938. She graduated from Austin High School in 1945 and received her B.A. and M.A.in Reading from the University ofTexas at El Paso.
She married Preston Lee Howard in 1949, and they had two children, Preston Lee Jr. and Linda Kay. Lonita started her teaching career in 1953 and was a reading lab teacher for 34 years. Lonita retired in 1993 and moved back to Hedley, where she remained. She was an avid gardener and loved her yard. Her favorite activities were functions with her family.
She was a member of the Hedley Church of Christ.
Lonita leaves behind a son, Preston Howard Jr. and wife Alma, of Anthony, Texas; a daughter, Linda O’Connor, of Memphis; four granddaughters, Danielle Koenig and husband Willie Joe and Shellie Howard and Isaac De La O, both of Mesilla Park, N.M., Colleen Owens, of Hedley, and Kathleen Ward and husband Mike, LONITA HOWARD
of Panhandle, Texas; 12 great-grandchildren, Kaydens Koenig, Andy Cox, Joe Koenig, Ayden Cox, Preston Koenig, Kaylee Ward, Parker Howard, Micheal Ward Jr., Charlie Owens, Connor Owens, Declan Ward and Caden Owens; and one brother, Carroll Hickey and wife Barbara, of Arlington, Texas; as well as her extended family and friends.
Sign the online guest book at robertsonfuneral.com.
