Eda Mae Howard

Eda Mae (Edie) Howard, 96, passed peacefully from this life to the next on October 13, 2020, in her home of 72 years, surrounded by family.

Edie was born to Albert and Frances Hancock on September 5, 1924 in St. Francis, Kansas, the 4th of 5 children.   She graduated from Kansas State University where she majored in Home Economics education and later taught at Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas, for 28 years.

While at K-State she met her husband of 64 years, Claude Howard.  He preceded her in death in 2011.  Their relationship was truly the love of a lifetime.  They raised their family in Mission, Kansas, and were an integral part of that community.  They shared a heart for service, a love of crafting and creating, and a work ethic from that Greatest Generation.  But their primary passion was family.  Family traditions included time spent at the Lake of the Ozarks, annual Colorado trips and the Family Christmas Eve.

Known for her positivity, her smile and her zest for life, Edie was known as the "scrubby lady."   She spread kindness by giving these out to family, friends, and total strangers.  Literally, thousands of scrubbies have been given as her way of making this world a kinder place.  She only asked that recipients pay it forward.  She truly spread love.

Edie was a member of the Shawnee United Methodist Church and the Retired Teachers of KCK.    She did volunteer work at Safe Home and the Salvation Army and was a regular at the Roeland Park Senior Center.

She leaves four children:  Kay Bailey (Lane), Steve Howard (Debbie), Cindy Collins (Alan) and Trey Howard (Jan), 14 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.

Edie was known as a mighty card warrior, Grandma Elly, and BEST MOM EVER!  The world has lost a truly fine lady.

A visitation will be held on Monday, October 19th, 2020 at the Amos Family Funeral Home in Shawnee, Kansas from 6:00-8:00pm.

A funeral service will be held at Shawnee United Methodist Church on Tuesday, October 2oth, 2020 beginning at 10am. A livestream will be available on the Shawnee United Methodist Church’s Facebook page of the service or by clicking here. A graveside burial will follow at Chapel Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Shawnee United Methodist Church 10700 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS, 66203 and to the Amedysis Hospice Foundation 3854 American Way, Suite A, Baton Rouge, LA 70816