Mary Ruth Howard

On Sunday, February 12, 2012, our Savior, Jesus Christ, opened the gates of Heaven and called Mary it's time to come home. Mary Ruth Howard, 92, answered quickly, leaving this earth and taking her place in Heaven with our Lord, Jesus Christ, whom she loved with all of her heart. She was a member of Philippi Baptist Church. She was retired from Kayline Mfg. Mary Ruth loved her family and her church and she enjoyed helping others and doing for people. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fletcher W. Howard; parents, Ernest J. Phillips and Julia JoAnn Cline Phillips; sister Erma Lee Woody; brothers, Ernest Phillips, JR and Billy Phillips. Survivors include her daughters, Reba Diane Ownby (Adrian), and Deborah Qualls (Roy); sons, Fletcher Dean Howard (Delta) and Donald Ray Howard (Martha); 3 step-children, Charles, Larry and Peggy; grandchildren: Jeffery Staton, Michael Ownby, Carrie McDougal, Christopher Howard and Christina Willoz; step-grandchildren: Rochelle Brown, Rhonda Westfield, Sonya Farris, and Terry Wattson; 29 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren. She dearly loved and had a special closeness with her great-granddaughter, Julia Staton. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 15, 2012 in the chapel of Fike Funeral Home with Pastor Sammy Hooker officiating. Interment will follow in Hilcrest Memorial Gardens with Jason McDougal, Jake Staton, Michael Ownby, Dustin Thompson, Aaron Hembree and Chris Howard serving as pallbearers. Jeff Staton, Nathan Brown and Austin Gennoe will serve as honorary pallbearers. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at the funeral home. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Howard family guestbook at www.fikefh.com