Fern Howlett

A memorial service will be held for Fern W. Howlett, 95, long-time resident of Chico, on Saturday, September 6, 2008, at 3:30 p.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church. Fern passed away August 23, 2008 at the California Park Rehabilitation Hospital. Born in 1913, she was the youngest of eight children of the Rev. A.L. and Mrs. Helen Whitcomb. The family moved from Fern's birthplace, Oskaloosa, Iowa, to Long Beach, CA, in 1925. While attending Los Angeles Pacific College, she met Erwin Howlett and they were married on May 10, 1935. Fern and Erwin moved with their family to Chico in 1952 where she received both her BA degree and teaching credential from Chico State College. She began teaching at Chico Junior High School in 1956 and retired in 1978. In tribute to her service at the school, she was awarded an honorary life membership of the Chico Junior High School PTA. Fern was a member of the Chapter QR of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, Delta Kappa Gamma, and Trinity United Methodist Church. She enjoyed knitting, sewing, crocheting, reading, traveling, and participating in Elderhostel programs. She water skied, using one ski, into her 80's. Her survivors include her husband, Erwin Howlett of Chico; brother-in-law, Dr. W. LeRoy Howlett of Redding; two sons, Jerrald and wife Marilyn of Nevada City and James and wife Carol of Ukiah; three grandchildren, Marcia of Jacksonville, FL, Jessica of San Francisco, and Kenneth and wife Kristin of Leominster, MA; and three great-grandchildren, Ross, Eliza and Marielle Howlett of Leominster, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Trinity United Methodist Church in care of the Brusie Funeral Home.