Jerrye E. Howe

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Jerrye Eleanor Howe on December 12, 2025 in Bowie, Maryland. Through her journey of 95 years, she touched many lives with her compassion and candid humor.

Jerrye was born March 1, 1930 in Plymouth, Wisconsin to Roy Willets and Viva Gilchrist. In addition to Jerrye’s parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Chief Master Sergeant Raymond “Guss” Howe, United States Air Force (retired), her older sister Lyda Mae Slemboski and older brother Jack Willets.

Jerrye was raised in the King’s Daughters’ Children’s Home in Freeport, Illinois. After high school she was accepted to the Saint Francis School of Nursing in Freeport, graduating as a Registered Nurse.

Jerrye started her journey as military spouse marrying “Guss” while he was stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Subsequent assignments included being stationed in Tripoli, Libya; then on to March Air Force Base in Riverside, California. Jerrye’s adventure continued as she moved to Torrejon Air Force Base in Madrid, Spain followed by their final assignment to Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs, Maryland.

It was while living on Andrews where Jerrye got back to her passion of nursing. She started by working at a local family doctor’s practice. Looking for a challenge, Jerrye also joined the staff at Greater Southeast Community Hospital in Washington, D.C. where she thrived in the hospital’s neo-natal nursery ward. Her dedication to caring for premature newborn infants to healthy babies able to going home and grow up, left a lasting impact to many families in the Washington D.C. area. Jerrye retired in 1998 after over 25 years of dedicated nursing service.

Jerrye is survived by her loving children, daughter Michel and son-in-law Dwight Smith, and daughter Beth Puddy, son Michael and daughter-in-law Pamela Howe, daughter Patricia Howe, 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

She leaves behind special family and friends, especially her cousin Paula Kaye, who was a significant caregiver during Jerrye’s last few months and Shirley Hurst, a colleague who became Jerrye’s dearest friend.

Celebration of Jerrye’s life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in Jerrye’s memory to the Arthritis Foundation https://www.arthritis.org/ .