Obituary for Frances Allene Howard
Frances Allene (Ewoldsen) Howard family knew her as Allene passed away peacefully in her sleep January 27, 2021 at Parkhurst Place in Hood River, Oregon. Frances was born on August 8, 1921 and was 99 years of age at the time of her passing.
Allene was born in Woodburn, Clarke County, Iowa; on one of the family's three farms to Lloyd M. & Bertha F. (Mumford) Ewoldsen. Her uncle, Wilbert Ewoldsen, was her teacher at North Star School in Clarke County, Iowa, up until graduating in 8th grade when she stopped attending school due to ill health. After that she helped her father with carpentry and wall papering.
When she was about 4 years old, she was trampled by her father's 6 workhorses which broke all of her ribs. As a result, the family doctor incorrectly told her parents she would never be able to have children.
On Sundays her parents would take a nap after church. She and her siblings would sneak the work horses out and have secret rodeos by their pond. They never got caught until one day when her dad expressed confusion to his brother because he couldn't figure out why his horses were too tired to work on Mondays after they'd had an entire day to rest. She liked to be left to do her own thing and many of the jobs she held and interests she had were because she could be left alone an no one would bother her. Starting at age 13 she would stay away from home all week to work caring for people including: a family with 5 children, a widow and a woman with arthritis.
She married Ellsworth Howard on November 29, 1941 in Princeton, Mercer County, Missouri. They were introduced by sister Aletha and Aletha's soon to be husband, Paul James, who was Ellsworth's best friend. They dated for two years. To avoid unwanted attention, they didn't tell anyone they were going to get married. The only people in attendance were Ellsworth's brother Ralph Howard and Ralph's wife, Frances. After marrying they worked together in Iowa: on a hog farm, on a corn & wheat farm, on a dairy farm and in the woods getting timber. She knew when she married Ellsworth he had a heart murmur and in 1963 he had a heart attack and could no longer work for some time. She worked three jobs so they wouldn't lose their home. He began Howard's Saddle Shop and eventually built a garage so he could repair cars as well. He passed away from a heart attack in the saddle shop in 1973.
Thanks to Ellsworth's uncle, Warren Homsher, in August 8, 1944, they loaded their 1932 Chevy and took their 17-month-old son on the 4-day drive to Hood River to work at the Apple Growers Association Cannery. Where she worked for 25 years until it closed. She canned apples and cherries and ran the pear peeler.
She took a year off in 1950 after giving birth to Linda and then she worked nights so her husband could work days so the kids wouldn’t have a sitter. She worked for Luhr Jensen & Sons for 15 years; she worked in the buffing room on May Street and then started cleaning house for all three sons; Dave, Phil & Luhr, Jr. and eventually became the janitor for the main plant as she called it “plain old maid and nanny” for Phil, Linda and their three children; Julie, Amy and Tony Ghiz. She got much joy over the years helping care for the three of them. She also cleaned weekly at The Experiment Station until retiring on August 8, 1986.
Allene enjoyed quilt making, embroidering, cooking for family and friends, antiquing, going to garage sales, gardening and was a ruthless champ at playing checkers. She loved supporting her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in all their various endeavors.
After moving to Hood River they went back to Iowa each year for 10 years, then future trips she enjoyed Coos Bay and Seaside. As a widow, she accompanied family on their numerous vacations.
She was mother to those who needed one and was "Gram" to family, friends and neighbors. If anyone ever needed help she'd be there for them. She was bar none the hardest working woman around, even after her first heart attack in 1998. She knew her own mind and stubbornly held to any course she decided on. Her fierce independent streak often led to surprises like the time when she was in her 30's and her husband came home to discover she'd secretly gotten her driver's license. She rarely said the words, "I love you", but with her every action she showed it.
In addition to her parents and husband Allene was preceded in death by her son Richard “Cowboy” Howard and siblings Dwight Ewoldsen, Aletha (Paul) James, Elizabeth Ewoldsen, Dwayne Ewoldsen, Leota Ewoldsen and Leona (Delbert) Denly and in-laws Wayne and Eva (nee Hall) Howard, Ralph (Frances) Howard, Sylvia Howard, Bernice (Lawrence) Clark, Glen Howard, Catherine Leonard, Robert Howard, Rex Howard, Leo (Marietta) Howard and Myrna Howard.
Allene is survived and will be dearly missed by daughter Linda (Jim) Hester and grandchildren Robin Clark, Annette (Bruce) MacLaren, Jason (Patty Ann) Howard, Deanna Davidson, Jim “Bud” Hester, Cheyenne (Mike) Emerson, Loucianna Sheppard and Saiopy Hester and great-grandchildren Kacie Davidson, Krista Clark, Brandon Hester, Josh Clark, Tristan Sheppard, Samantha Sheppard, Alexandria Sheppard, Wyatt Hester, Brooklyn Emerson, Cassandra Fischer, Aislynn MacLaren, Austin Hester, Aynslee Hester, Sierra Hester, Crystal Howard, Tabetha Howard, Justin Howard, Cody Allison and Maija Allison, great-great granddaughter Maceigh Ensey and sister-in-laws Wanda Ewoldsen and Dorothy Howard and numerous nieces and nephews
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations) 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031.
Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.
Allene was born in Woodburn, Clarke County, Iowa; on one of the family's three farms to Lloyd M. & Bertha F. (Mumford) Ewoldsen. Her uncle, Wilbert Ewoldsen, was her teacher at North Star School in Clarke County, Iowa, up until graduating in 8th grade when she stopped attending school due to ill health. After that she helped her father with carpentry and wall papering.
When she was about 4 years old, she was trampled by her father's 6 workhorses which broke all of her ribs. As a result, the family doctor incorrectly told her parents she would never be able to have children.
On Sundays her parents would take a nap after church. She and her siblings would sneak the work horses out and have secret rodeos by their pond. They never got caught until one day when her dad expressed confusion to his brother because he couldn't figure out why his horses were too tired to work on Mondays after they'd had an entire day to rest. She liked to be left to do her own thing and many of the jobs she held and interests she had were because she could be left alone an no one would bother her. Starting at age 13 she would stay away from home all week to work caring for people including: a family with 5 children, a widow and a woman with arthritis.
She married Ellsworth Howard on November 29, 1941 in Princeton, Mercer County, Missouri. They were introduced by sister Aletha and Aletha's soon to be husband, Paul James, who was Ellsworth's best friend. They dated for two years. To avoid unwanted attention, they didn't tell anyone they were going to get married. The only people in attendance were Ellsworth's brother Ralph Howard and Ralph's wife, Frances. After marrying they worked together in Iowa: on a hog farm, on a corn & wheat farm, on a dairy farm and in the woods getting timber. She knew when she married Ellsworth he had a heart murmur and in 1963 he had a heart attack and could no longer work for some time. She worked three jobs so they wouldn't lose their home. He began Howard's Saddle Shop and eventually built a garage so he could repair cars as well. He passed away from a heart attack in the saddle shop in 1973.
Thanks to Ellsworth's uncle, Warren Homsher, in August 8, 1944, they loaded their 1932 Chevy and took their 17-month-old son on the 4-day drive to Hood River to work at the Apple Growers Association Cannery. Where she worked for 25 years until it closed. She canned apples and cherries and ran the pear peeler.
She took a year off in 1950 after giving birth to Linda and then she worked nights so her husband could work days so the kids wouldn’t have a sitter. She worked for Luhr Jensen & Sons for 15 years; she worked in the buffing room on May Street and then started cleaning house for all three sons; Dave, Phil & Luhr, Jr. and eventually became the janitor for the main plant as she called it “plain old maid and nanny” for Phil, Linda and their three children; Julie, Amy and Tony Ghiz. She got much joy over the years helping care for the three of them. She also cleaned weekly at The Experiment Station until retiring on August 8, 1986.
Allene enjoyed quilt making, embroidering, cooking for family and friends, antiquing, going to garage sales, gardening and was a ruthless champ at playing checkers. She loved supporting her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in all their various endeavors.
After moving to Hood River they went back to Iowa each year for 10 years, then future trips she enjoyed Coos Bay and Seaside. As a widow, she accompanied family on their numerous vacations.
She was mother to those who needed one and was "Gram" to family, friends and neighbors. If anyone ever needed help she'd be there for them. She was bar none the hardest working woman around, even after her first heart attack in 1998. She knew her own mind and stubbornly held to any course she decided on. Her fierce independent streak often led to surprises like the time when she was in her 30's and her husband came home to discover she'd secretly gotten her driver's license. She rarely said the words, "I love you", but with her every action she showed it.
In addition to her parents and husband Allene was preceded in death by her son Richard “Cowboy” Howard and siblings Dwight Ewoldsen, Aletha (Paul) James, Elizabeth Ewoldsen, Dwayne Ewoldsen, Leota Ewoldsen and Leona (Delbert) Denly and in-laws Wayne and Eva (nee Hall) Howard, Ralph (Frances) Howard, Sylvia Howard, Bernice (Lawrence) Clark, Glen Howard, Catherine Leonard, Robert Howard, Rex Howard, Leo (Marietta) Howard and Myrna Howard.
Allene is survived and will be dearly missed by daughter Linda (Jim) Hester and grandchildren Robin Clark, Annette (Bruce) MacLaren, Jason (Patty Ann) Howard, Deanna Davidson, Jim “Bud” Hester, Cheyenne (Mike) Emerson, Loucianna Sheppard and Saiopy Hester and great-grandchildren Kacie Davidson, Krista Clark, Brandon Hester, Josh Clark, Tristan Sheppard, Samantha Sheppard, Alexandria Sheppard, Wyatt Hester, Brooklyn Emerson, Cassandra Fischer, Aislynn MacLaren, Austin Hester, Aynslee Hester, Sierra Hester, Crystal Howard, Tabetha Howard, Justin Howard, Cody Allison and Maija Allison, great-great granddaughter Maceigh Ensey and sister-in-laws Wanda Ewoldsen and Dorothy Howard and numerous nieces and nephews
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations) 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031.
Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.