Caren M. Howes

Caren M. Howes passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 20, 2009 after a courageous fight with pancreatic cancer. She will be dearly missed by her husband of 21 years Bill Howes of Loveland, CO, her son Mark Howes and wife Linda of Shanghai, China, daughter Mindy Ritchie and husband Brad of Windsor, CO, sons Bryce Warren and wife Holly of Fort Collins, CO, and Bryan Warren and wife Jacque of Windsor, CO. She loved spending time with her eight grandchildren and one great-grandson. Born to Loyal and Thelma Blount in 1943, she was their middle child and only daughter. She and her two brothers, Gale and Dennis grew up in the small town of Auburn, NE. She spent her childhood riding her horse to a one room school house, and participating in 4-H and church activities. She graduated from Auburn High School in 1962 and later attended cosmetology school in Lincoln, NE.Caren moved to Fort Collins, CO in 1965 where she and her former husband Ron raised their three children. She worked in sales at Eakers Department Store for over 12 years, then worked at the Ft. Collins Youth Clinic, and later retired in 1996 after working at Boltz Junior High School.She met Bill Howes in 1985, and the two were married in 1988. Over the past 21 years they have worked diligently to check off many of the items on their ""bucket lists."" They enjoyed 12 wonderful cruises, traveled to all 50 states, visited Mexico, Canada, England and many Caribbean destinations.Caren loved knitting, crocheting, sewing, baking and spending time with her husband and family. She was a woman to consult if you ever needed to remember an anniversary, a birthday or any specific detail of a story. According to her friends Caren was a walking Walgreens. Her purse would have made Monte Hall of ""Let's Make a Deal"" proud!She was preceded in death by her parents and her daughter Dr. Kim Howes. She was a genuinely loving and caring person and will be greatly missed by her family and friends. She will forever be in our hearts.A Celebration of Caren's Life will be held at First Christian Church, 2000 N. Lincoln Avenue in Loveland, CO on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 10:00 a.m.Inurnment will follow at Resthaven Memory Gardens.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Pathways Hospice, Caringbridge.org, or to the Cancer Center at McKee Medical Center in care of Resthaven Funeral Home, 8426 S Hwy 287, Fort Collins, CO 80525.