Mildred Ruth Copeland Howell

August 2, 1924-November 19, 2012

Mildred was born in McKinney, Texas and was raised in McKinney and Greenville by her parents, Leona (Southall) and Monnie Copeland. From a very young age Mildred showed musical talent and became well known for her beautiful alto voice, singing with her high school sextet as well as other choirs at school and in her church, often as a soloist. She also played principal clarinet in her school's band. After graduation, she attended Dallas Business School and later worked at Republic National Life Insurance Co. and then as secretary to the president of McKinney Cotton Mill.

Millie met John Howell in 1939 and found out quickly that he had taken dance lessons from an Arthur Murray studio. This cemented their relationship and they married the week following the Pearl Harbor attack. When John enlisted in the Army Air Corps Glider Program in early 1946, Millie was introduced to all the challenges and benefits of military life that continued for the next thirty years. Daughter, Linda, was born in 1943, the year her dad completed the Aviation Cadet Program and was commissioned.

After the war ended in 1945, daughter, Donna, was born. Three years later, Millie and her two girls headed by troopship to a station in Nagoya, Japan to join John. She was very happy to get on dry land. The tour was cut short eighteen months later when the Korean War broke out. Millie and the girls were sent home while John stayed for a number of months to support Air Force operations. Though the time in Nagoya was shortened, this first time out of Texas for Millie began a life-long appreciation of all things Japanese, reflected in every home they had for the next 65 years. Millie was well known for her vocal talent, even singing at USO shows in the early years, but visitors always remarked on what an eye she had for creating beautiful spaces for her family.

In 1953, daughter, Debbie, was born while they were stationed in Mobile, Alabama. From there, Millie and her girls (and a female dog) followed John to assignments at Hickam AFB, HI; Dover AFB, DE; Warner Robbins AFB, GA; Kirtland AFB, NM; Tachikawa AFB, Japan; and finally McGuire AFB, NJ. There wasn't a chapel choir or Officer's Wives Club singing group that didn't depend on Millie, especially for solos. She also encouraged her daughters in music as they grew up, regularly singing and playing instruments in chapels, teen clubs and at their schools.

After John's retirement in 1972, they settled in Austin, TX, where Millie studied voice and soon auditioned for the Austin Civic Chorus where she was a regular for the next nineteen years. After following good friends to Air Force Village II in 1995, Millie loved being "back in the service" as she joined the Village Voices and formed a duet with fellow resident, Groover Perry, for years of performances at special events. She also loved singing with the San Antonio First Presbyterian Church choir. In all their homes, over their seventy years of marriage, there was always music. Millie set the stage for singing around the piano or rolling up the rug for dancing. The family always agreed completely when John said it best about his bride: "It's never dull!"

Millie lost John last year and is survived by daughters, Linda Fleischer, Donna Foster (husband, Cameron), and Debbie Marlin (husband, Jim). Also surviving are grandson, Mark Fleischer and granddaughters, Michelle Gallagher (husband, Ben), Shaina Bilbrey (husband, Earl), and Megan Jacobson (husband, Justin). Millie's great-grandsons are Trey and Drew Gallagher.

GRAVESIDE SERVICE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

9:45 A.M.

FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

MEMORIAL SERVICE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012

2:00 P.M.

AIR FORCE VILLAGE II CHAPEL

5100 JOHN D. RYAN BOULEVARD

Memorial contributions may be made to the Air Force Village Chapel Building Fund. (Please make checks payable to AFVCF, 5100 John D. Ryan Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78245.)