Helen Howard

ARNOLD MOORE & NEEKAMP FUNERAL HOME, BARTLESVILLE, OK - Helen L. Howard, age 95 and longtime resident of Copan, Oklahoma, passed away on Monday, April 18, 2016, in The Journey Home, Bartlesville. Helen Louise Thomas was born on July 13, 1920 in rural Montgomery County, Kansas (N.E. of Caney, Kansas). She was the daughter of Cecil Claude Thomas and Gertrude Belle (Umphenour) Thomas. She was raised and received her education in the rural Pleasant View community in rural Montgomery County, Kansas. She attended rural schools at Pleasant View and State Line Elementary School. She attended the Copan High School where she completed her education. Helen and Paul Randall Howard were married on October 26, 1937 at Nowata, Oklahoma. They established their first home in the Wann, Oklahoma area. In 1940, and during the World War II years, they lived at Lawrence, Kansas and Mr. Howard was employed by the DeSoto Defense Plant for two years. Mr. Howard enlisted in the U.S. Army during the WWII years. Helen moved to Bartlesville where she became employed by the Mogel-Phillips grocery store. In 1945, the couple moved to the community of Copan. Helen was associated with not only, the Mogel-Phillips grocery store, but also was an employee of the Crawford grocery store for nine years, and she was a member of the Copan Postal Service. Helen and her husband, Paul, owned and operated Paul Howard's Auto Service in Copan until 1976 when they retired due to his failing health. Helen retired from the Copan Postal Service in 1982 and she has continued living in Copan since that time Helen was a member of the Dewey First Baptist Church where she served as a Sunday school teacher for many years. She was also an active member of the Copan Senior Citizens and was a past president, treasurer and member of the Board of Directors; she was also a member of the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) and the Copan Home Extension Club. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Paul; and seven brothers, Jack Thomas, J. C. Thomas, Eldon Thomas, Tom McMurtrey, Donald Dean Thomas, Howard Eugene McMurtrey and Louis Wayne McMurtrey. She is survived by her sister, Ruth Ann Phillips and her husband, Bill, of Copan; two sisters-in-law, Judy McMurtrey of Bartlesville, and Alice Eggbert of Wichita, Kansas; and several nieces and nephews. Come and go visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 20, from 9:00 AM-8:00 PM in the Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home, 710 S. Dewey Ave. The family will be present to greet friends from 4-7:00 PM. Services will be held on Friday, April 22, at 10:00 AM in the First Baptist Church of Dewey, Dewey, Oklahoma. Pastor Mark Wright will officiate. Interment will follow the service in Sunnyside Cemetery, Caney, Kansas. Arrangements are under the direction of the Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at www.honoringmemories.com.

Visitation Details

Wednesday, April 20th, 2016 9:00am - 8:00pm, Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home

Thursday, April 21st, 2016 9:00am - 8:00pm, Arnold Moore & Neekamp Funeral Home

Service Details

Friday, April 22nd, 2016 10:00am, First Baptist Church - Dewey

Interment Details

Sunnyside Cemetery