Barbara C Howie

She was born on December 7, 1934, in Hamlet, NC to Samuel and Elise Coxe. Barbara attended Hamlet High School in Richmond County, North Carolina. She was an only child, raised with the steady care of her mother.

Barbara was the mother of two sons, Paul Ray Howie, Jr. and Ronald Addison Howie. She was also a proud grandmother to two grandchildren, Amy Varner (Chris) and Laurin Howie. She is the proud great grandmother to Shepherd Varner, Rhodes Varner and Bowen Varner. William Calvin, currently of Florida, was Barbara’s longtime partner of over 40 years. Together they built a life marked by love, affection, companionship and shared adventures.

Barbara found joy in the simple, beautiful rhythms of everyday life. She loved her cats, working in the backyard gardening, and flowers of any kind. She and William especially enjoyed taking cruises and traveling together, taking trips to Disney World. Above all, Barbara loved her sons and always looked forward to their visits. She also treasured time spent with Amy, Chris and her great grandchildren.

Barbara devoted 26 years of service to the City of Charlotte, where she worked as a Systems Analyst. She retired in December 1996, leaving behind a legacy of dedicated and dependable work which she enjoyed.

Barbara attended Wesley United Methodist Church on Rea Road, which has since closed. In the years following her retirement, she continued to serve by helping the church with office work for a time, offering her steady support in a quiet and meaningful way.

She was preceded in death by her parents Samuel and Elise Coxe, the father of her children, Paul Ray Howie, Sr., and her son Ronald Addison Howie.

The family wishes to express sincere gratitude to the hospice staff, Emily and Maddie, and to Belmont Health and Rehab for their loving care of Barbara over the last months.