Anne K Howell

Anne Kingen Howell, age 87, of Lakewood, passed away Saturday, April 10, 2010. She was born in Bremen, Germany. Anne immigrated to the US in 1925 with her mother and brother, where they were joined with her father in Freehold. Her birth father was a prominent violinist and pianist who often played piano for the silent movies at the Liberty Theatre in Freehold. She was a graduate of Hightstown High School and was a charter member of the Honor Society. Anne attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY for 2 ½ years, majoring in piano, and was a member of the Rho Chapter of Delta Omicron. She was registered as an “enemy alien” from 1942 to 1944, when she became a citizen of the US. Her name is on the original Immigrant Wall of Honor at Ellis Island. A replica of the ship she came on, SS America, is in the main hall of Ellis Island. She worked for NJ Bell from 1945 to 1956 and retired as an Instructress. Anne worked part time for Bamberger’s and then Sears’ Lakewood store. In 1962 she returned to NJ Bell and retired as a “retread” service rep. in 1965. She volunteered to set up the Lakewood Memorial Day Parade in 1972, did volunteer work at Lakewood High School with the band trip to CA and PTSA publicity, and became a full-time secretary there from 1976 to 1988. She also was a Girl Scout leader and publicity chair for six years. Anne became active with American Field Service, doing publicity and becoming President. Her family was Host Family in 1978-1979 for student Hitomi Sato; Anne went with her husband to Japan for Hitomi’s wedding in 1991. She also served as a volunteer secretary at All Saints Episcopal Church in Lakewood.

Wife of the late Everett F. Howell for 50 years, she also was predeceased by her birth father, Georges August Kingen, who was born in Verviers, Belgium and died in Miami, FL in 1951; her birth mother, Elise Tamo Kingen, who was born in Aachen, Germany and died in Auschwitz in 1944; her foster parents, Frederick and Edith Branford of Freehold and Hightstown; her brother, Walter Kingen Denise of Freehold, who died in March 2001; and her nephew Tunis Denise, who died in 1993.

She is survived by her two daughters and sons-in-law, Barbara and Larry Roth of Aurora, IL, and Kathleen and Peter Schott of Howell, NJ; four grandchildren, Melissa and Kevin Roth of Aurora, IL, and Kelly and James Schott of Howell, NJ; a nephew, David Denyse; four nieces, Susan Fleming, Judith Kanaley, Kim Pitts, & Kit Griffin; and her lifelong best friend, Maribelle Turp Taylor of Hightstown.

A funeral service will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. followed by visitation until 6 p.m. in the D’Elia Funeral Home, Rte. 70 & Vermont Ave., Lakewood, NJ 08701. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Deborah Hospital Foundation, PO Box 820, Browns Mills, NJ 08015, the Twp. of Lakewood EMS Department, 231 Third St., Lakewood, NJ 08701, or All Saints Episcopal Church, 213 Madison Ave., Lakewood, NJ 08701.