Norma Jeanne Howard

She was born in Kansas City, Missouri, she lived an adventurous and colorful life. From a mischievous child, she grew into a confident, fun-loving teenager. She was a skilled swimmer on her swim team with a deep sense of freedom and a passionate support for peace during the Vietnam War. Jeanne went to school at Ruskin High School and then became a wife and mother.

Jeanne’s love of music and her deeply held belief in being your weird and wonderful self were gifts she instilled in her children.

She saw the sights of the world with trips to the Caribbean, France, Switzerland, and a six-year stint in England. While scuba diving in the Caribbean, she discovered a deep connection to dolphins. She educated herself on these intelligent creatures and was always eager to share their world with anyone willing to listen.

Fiercely creative, Jeanne poured her heart into her writing and published several romance novels in the 1990s. Her true passion was to write a fictional novel about a deaf woman who could pick up on the sonar dolphins use to communicate—granting her character access to the secrets of the world.

Wanting to share her love of writing with budding young authors, Jeanne secured a room at Longview Community College and taught a children’s writing class in the 1990s.

With her imaginative theories on life and her gift for conversation, there was never a dull moment. Fun, eccentric, and unapologetically herself, Jeanne entranced anyone lucky enough to speak with her.

Jeanne passed away on June 3rd, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri, with her sister Diana Miller and niece Lisa Long by her side, and her daughters enroute. Cancer may have taken her body, but it never touched her spirit. The month leading up to her passing was filled with love, music, and cherished memories.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 23 years Michael Howard; her son, Eric Dillon, and his wife Deborah, her daughters, Heather Dillon, and Katie Dunthorne; her grandchildren, Brady Ramsey, and his wife Britteni, Christopher Dillon, Savannah Dillon, Ethan Munden, and Fallon Dunthorne; her great-grandson, Hayden James; and her beloved dog, Greta.

Celebration of life will be 2:00 to 4:00pm Saturday June 21, 2025, at McGilley & Sheil Funeral Home, 11924 E 47th St Kansas City, Missouri 64133. In lieu of flowers, we kindly request donations be made in Jeanne Howard’s memory to her favorite cause, The Dolphin Research Center https://dolphins.org/general_donation.