Mary Howell

Mary Lou Howell, age 97, of Champaign, died at 8:30 a.m. at Savoy Place Memory Care, Savoy, IL, on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

Mary was born in Vandalia, IL on September 22, 1927, the daughter of Marcus and Mary Elizabeth (Hugo) Pummill. On December 22, 1957, she was married to Robert Alan Howell of Champaign, IL, who preceded her in death on April 3, 2014.

Mary is survived by one daughter, Amy (George) Fahey, of Champaign; one daughter-in-law, Denise (Frank) Thomas, of Champaign; four granddaughters, Katherine Turk of Champaign, Laura (Wayne) Stevens of Pendleton, IN, Bridget Fahey of Urbana, and Elizabeth Fahey (Ian Weigle) of Chicago; one grandson, Joshua (Amanda) Howell of Waukesha, WI; five great-grandchildren, Joseph Turk of Champaign; Finn, Charlotte, and Olive Howell of Waukesha, WI; and Gia Marie Stevens of Pendleton, IN.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, her son, Joseph Alan Howell, half-brother Harold Pummill and half-sisters Irene Hall and Nellie Williams, along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Mary was a 1945 graduate of Vandalia High School. In 1951, she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor of liberal arts degree from McKendree College in Lebanon, IL. In August 1954, she received her master’s degree in education from the University of Illinois.

She taught elementary school for 21 years at various schools -- at Bear Creek School in Fayette County, IL (a one-room schoolhouse); at Roach School, Decatur, IL; and at Washington and Bottenfield schools, Champaign-Urbana, IL. After retiring in 1973 from teaching, she worked for several years as a clerk-typist in the Agricultural Economics Department at the University of Illinois.

She was a longtime member of Temple Baptist Church in Champaign, IL. She spent much time on church committees and in the choir, taught Sunday school, and manned the nursery. She volunteered for many years at Empty Tomb, Inc. She was a member of the VFW Post 5520 Women’s Auxiliary. Mary liked to sew and paint, and spent lots of quality time with her grandchildren. She also spent many hours assisting her husband, Robert, researching and producing an extensive genealogy of their families. After retirement, they spent many hours camping and travelling together. They were best friends.

Mary was a prayer warrior and spent a lot of time reading the Bible. She was a believer in Jesus Christ as her personal savior. She ran the race of life with endurance and love; she will be missed by her family but we will see her again in time.

Family and friends will be received at Owens Funeral Home, 101 North Elm Street, Champaign, at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 10th, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. officiated by the Rev. Scott Boyd of Temple Baptist Church of Champaign. A celebration of life luncheon will be held immediately afterwards for family and friends. Inurnment will be held at 2 p.m. at the Cerro Gordo Cemetery, 280 Oakley Road, Cerro Gordo, IL.

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