Charlotte C. Howard
Charlotte C. Howard, 91, passed away unexpectedly at her home in Sun Lakes, AZ on Tuesday, October 4, 2016. Charlotte was born in Newark, NJ, on April 27, 1925, and grew up in nearby Clifton, NJ. After finishing high school and business school in Clifton, she went to work as a secretary for Curtiss Wright Corporation. After several years with Curtiss Wright, she accepted a secretarial position with ARAMCO in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, where she met her future husband, Clyde Howard, a native of Texas who was also working in the oil business. The two were married in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1951, and returned the following year to the United States. They settled in Syracuse, NY, where they raised four sons, and where Clyde worked as a process engineer for General Electric in Syracuse and Auburn. Charlotte spent most of the early years of their marriage at home, caring for their children, before returning to work as secretary to the principal of Auburn High School. In 1973, the family moved to Tempe, AZ after Clyde accepted a job with Motorola in Phoenix, where he would work until his retirement in 1989. Charlotte worked in secretarial positions at Arizona State University and later at Western States Optical. After a few years in Tempe, Clyde and Charlotte moved to Sun Lakes, where they would live for more than thirty years. Charlotte, who loved to sing, was active for most of her life in amateur choral music groups, including, for many years, the choir at St. Steven's Church in Sun Lakes. She and Clyde were enthusiastic tennis players for years, and traveled widely after their retirement. Charlotte was predeceased by her husband, Clyde, who passed away in April, 2016; her parents, James McLaughlin and Charlotte Loftus; her brother, James (Irene) McLaughlin; and her sister, Clare (Sam) Covello. She is survived by her four sons, Clyde, Jr. (Diane) of Auburn, NY, Mark (Judy) of Baltimore, MD, Michael (Aleida) of Phoenix, and Gregory (Gigi) of Roanoke, VA; her five grandchildren, and her three great-grandchildren. A Memorial Mass will take place at St. Steven's Roman Catholic Church, 28427 S. Dobson Rd., Sun Lakes, 85248 at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 17, 2016. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Charlotte's memory to a charity of your choice . Condolences may be made by visiting www.qohcfh.org. Arrangements entrusted to Queen of Heaven Catholic Funeral Home, Mesa, AZ.