Lucille Jane Howard

In Loving Memory of L. Jane Howard, April 4, 1939 – August 24, 2024

 L. Jane Howard

Lucille Jane Howard, 85, of West Chester, OH, went home to be with the Lord, August 24, 2024. Jane was born in West Fairfield Twp (outside Bolivar, PA) on April 4, 1939. She placed her trust in Jesus as her Savior at age 12 after hearing a guest Bible teacher at her church. That watershed decision would forever change her life.

 Jane was preceded in death by her parents, James Crusan and Margaret (Garland) Crusan. She is survived by her sister Rose Short of Bolivar, PA.

 Jane is survived by her husband of 67 years, Fred Howard. Jane is also survived by their two sons: Kevin (Sherri) Howard of West Chester, OH and Greg (Melissa) Howard of Pleasant Plain, OH. Jane’s extended family includes six grandchildren: Sara (Chris) Harness, Sara Riley, Stephanie (Heather) Henize, Amanda (Jason) Parker, Benjamin (Sheera) Howard, Jared (Amanda) Howard; and eleven great-grandchildren: Braden Harness, Connor Harness, James Riley, Vincent Henize, Thomas Parker, Elliot Howard, Jack Howard, Isaac Howard, Kai Howard, Eli Howard, and Annabelle Howard.

 Jane was the oldest of two girls. She graduated from Laurel Valley High School in 1957 and a few days later married her high school sweetheart, Fred Howard, in the Church of the Wilderness outside Ligonier, PA. Fred and Jane then moved to Havre de Grace, MD for Fred to complete his naval training at USNTC Bainbridge. Afterward, Fred was stationed at the US Naval Station in Newport, RI where their first son Kevin was born. Until the birth of Kevin, Jane worked at Woolworth’s department store to make ends meet. For the next couple of years Fred served rotating three-month deployments to Newfoundland and the North Atlantic.

 After active duty, Fred and Jane relocated to the Dayton, OH area for employment where their second son Greg was born. Later Jane worked as a bank teller at Arcanum National Bank. Afterward she established Toddler University preschools in Phillipsburg, Ohio and at Dayton Baptist Temple. Finally, Jane became a successful Mary Kay cosmetics beauty consultant and advanced to Sales Director. She served in that role for four decades.

 As the wife of a US Navy veteran, Jane will be buried at Dayton National Cemetery.