Donice Carolyn Howard

Donice Carolyn Howard, born on February 9, 1940, in Gainesville, Georgia; passed on September 23, 2012, in Phoenix, Arizona. Funeral service will be held on Sunday, September 30, 2012, at 2:30 PM at Christ Church Lutheran, 3901 East Indian School Road in Phoenix.

When Donice Carolyn Howard walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Donice was and how she impacted those around her. Donice was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Donice wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Donice was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

Donice was born on February 9, 1940 at home in Gainesville, Georgia. She was the daughter of Frank and Ola Crane. Donice was raised in Gainesville, Georgia. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Donice might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Donice was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

Donice was raised with six siblings. She had 3 older brothers: Howard, Billy, Charles; 2 older sisters, Dorothy and Lois, and 1 younger sister, Pat. Donice was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Donice was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Donice well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of all who knew her.

As a young girl, Donice was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Donice was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities, including roller skating and spending time with her family. Donice had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

During her school years, Donice responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. For Donice, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Donice a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything. Her favorite class in school was Bible Study. The teacher she enjoyed learning from the most was Miss Mauve.

With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Donice was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Donice was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. While growing up, one of her best friends was Dorothy Minus and throughout her life she made many, many friends

Donice was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Donice, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Howard home. Donice's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up.

Donice is survived by her life companion Larry Perez and her four children: sons, Bradley Howard (Wanda Howard), Terry Howard (Sandy Miller), and daughter, Sharon Olmsted. She was preceded in death by her son, Ricky Howard in 2011. She was also blessed with six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; Michelle Voss (Dan Voss), Jessica Schlomer, T. J. Howard, Justin Olmsted, Andrea Howard and Tiffany Edwards (Calvin Edwards), and great-grandchildren: Logan Schlomer, Lousion Schlomer, Lucidity Schlomer, and Malachi Edwards.

Donice was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was meat wrapping. Donice was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Donice had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Donice's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

Donice loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life. Her favorite hobbies were gardening (plants, flowers, cacti), yard sales and outdoor activities. She enjoyed walking on the beach, swimming, and scuba diving. She not only liked the water, Donice also liked to venture out into the desert to look at the cactus blooms. She was an enthusiastic baseball fan and enjoyed watching her favorite team “The Arizona Diamondbacks” whenever she got the opportunity. Donice had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Donice's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

Donice was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member of Christ Church Lutheran for 4 years. During that time, she also went to Celebrate Recovery. She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

Donice's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Donice took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included a Caribbean cruise with Rick, going to Florida, several trips to California with her grandchildren, and a memorable trip to the Smoky Mountains with her siblings, Larry and TJ.

Donice was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Gin Gin, a German Shepherd dog, was a best friend for 19 years. Her family was rounded out by her dogs, Prissy, Phoenix and Susie; cats, Mamma and Monster and a cockatiel named Teddy.

When Donice's retirement finally came in 2007, Donice handled it the way she usually did. She adapted and, like everything in her life, made it satisfying. Because she was such a flexible person and able to adjust to any situation, retirement was just another enjoyable change of pace for Donice to master. She remained in her chosen home of Phoenix, Arizona. In retirement, she found new pleasure in working part time at Shadow Ridge apartments. Even in retirement, Donice continued to stay in touch with her old friends and like always, made plenty of new ones.

Donice Howard passed away on September 23, 2012 at her home. Services were held at Christ Church Lutheran in Phoenix, Arizona.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Donice. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Donice Howard for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Donice was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.

In lue of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to Christ Church Lutheran.