Gwendolene "Gwennie" Howard

Mrs. Gwendolene (Gwennie) T. Howard, age 94 of Union Gove went home to be with her Lord and Savior and Ralph on December 2, 2023. Gwennie was born December 18, 1928 to the late Clyde and Ruby Redmond Templeton. She was a graduate of Union Grove High School Class of 1945.

Gwennie attended Berry College in Georgia for two years when she was the young age of 16 and 17. Later on, she attended Catawba College in Salisbury to get her teacher’s degree. She taught in Rowan and Iredell County Schools for 31 years. Gwennie loved all her students dearly. She loved reading to them and telling them all of her stories; even to her last days she was still telling stories! She is still being greeted by her students as “there is Ms. Howard”. Gwennie loved the land and all of her yardwork and flowers.

She was a member of Zion Baptist Church where she taught many different age groups in Sunday School. Her love of children had her serve the nursey for 7 years.

Gwennie was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph L. Howard in 2011, her sisters, Eula Brown, Lois Goforth and Lunelle Turner. Clyde Wilson and Brenda Thompson are surviving sisters. Also surviving are her three sons, Lynn (Linda), Tommy (Ellie) and Ronnie (Judy). She was the proud grandmother of seven grandchildren, Rob, Chad, Kevin, Nicole, Matthew, Travis and Kyle. She was, also, blessed with 14 great grandchildren, Anna Katherine, Thomas, Will, Luke, Liz, Ella, Kate, Sydney, Aubrynn, Avery, Brenna, Smith, Brayden and Karis. Gwennie, also wanted to pay a special tribute to her close friends, neighbors and caregivers, Clifton and Barbara Benge, Gary and Christine Edwards, Mary York, Rema Britt, Samantha, Mia and Chasity Cash and Bonnie Mitchell.

The memorial and graveside service will be at Zion Baptist Church on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 1:30pm with Rev. Dr. Joey Tomlin officiating. The family will greet friends of the family immediately after the graveside service in the cemetery of church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Zion Baptist Church or the Gordon Hospice House of Statesville. The family would like to give a special thanks to the staff at the Gordon Hospice House for their love and support.

Troutman Funeral home is serving the family of Gwennie Howard.