Olive Geraldine "Jerry" Howard

O. Geraldine “Jerry” Howard was born to James Edward and Faye (Glenn) Penton October 21, 1926 in Wray, Colorado. She spent her childhood at Beecher Island until they moved to Wray sometime after 1936. She attended country school and finished in Wray. During this time she worked for a small dairy doing chores and other various jobs around the dairy near Beecher Island.

She met and married Major Steven Parker on December 24, 1944. After which they moved to the east coast as Major was in the Navy. To this union six children were born, Ronald, John, Connie, Sheryl, Elizabeth, and an infant boy who died at birth. She was widowed in 1957 when he was killed in a steel mill accident. She brought her five children back to Wray to raise after Major Steven’s death. She was a stay at home mom until she went to work as a nurse’s aide at the Wray Hospital in 1968. In November 1968 they were in a car accident where Jerry sustained a fractured pelvis and granddaughter DeAnna received a broken leg. It was while she was in the hospital Don brought her flowers. Their first date was the Junior Class Play. They were married June 5, 1969 and she acquired 5 more kids Don Jr, Bob, Linda, Cliff (Howie) and Tony.

Jerry worked at the hospital until 1975 when the Garden Center became her life. Loving the flowers in spring, along with selling vegetable plants was what she loved to do. Special times were around Thanksgiving and Christmas where she would help Don make evergreen roping, sell Christmas Trees and wreaths. The coffee was always on and no one was turned away for a meal.

Jerry’s other interests were quilting and embroidering, crocheting and just needle work in general. Don and Jerry would spend much time camping in the Red Feather Lakes area, sometimes as long as 14 weeks at a time. Making new friends and fishing.

Later on as age took effect on both Don and Jerry, they remodeled the house on Blake Street. They moved from the Greenhouse to there, closing the Garden Center forever.

Preceding Jerry in death were her parents, Jim and Faye, 4 brothers, Warren, Bill, George, and Dave, sister, Emma, Her first husband, Major Steven and husband of 42 years Don, also 2 sons, infant son Parker, and Clifford Howard, and one granddaughter Sara Kay Howard.
Surviving Jerry in order of age are Ron and wife Mayela Parker, Jack and Karla Parker, Connie and Brian Francone, Don Howard Jr., Sheryl Parker, Bob and Cheryl Howard, Linda and Gary Wingard, Elizabeth and Stan Thompson, Tony and Tammy Howard, sister Dolly and brother, Loren, 30 grandchildren and 63 great grandchildren, and at least one great great-grandchild.

A Receiving of Family & Friends was held on Wednesday January 20, 2016 at the Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Funeral services were held Thursday January 21, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at the Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home with Pastor Steve Wynkoop officiating. Internment followed at Grandview Cemetery.

Memorials are to be made to the Hospice of the Plains P.O. Box 365 Wray, CO 80758.

Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.