Obituary for Elizabeth Ann Howard (Blanton)
Elizabeth Ann Blanton Howard of Gilkey, N.C. passed away peacefully on Monday, June 7, 2021 in Tarpon Springs, Florida at the age of 87. She and her husband Billy, married 70 years, had lived in Tarpon Springs near their family for the past few years. She lived a full and exciting life, filled with travel and adventure and accomplishments rare for women of her time. She was admired and loved by many, and she loved so many others in return.
Ann was born in Spindale, N.C. on March 14, 1934. Her father died in a tragic car accident when she was young as he returned from Norfolk, VA. where he’d found work building ships for the war effort. This made a profound impact on her and shaped her approach to life as she, her sister and her now widowed mother addressed life with meager means. Rather than succumb to her economic disadvantage and valid excuses for failure or a mediocre existence, she met life head on and embraced its challenges in an unusually optimistic and aggressive way.
In 1950, while still in High School, she married Bill but remained in school and graduated from R. S. Central High School in 1952. While there she was a cheerleader and active in many school activities such as the school newspaper and the home economics program. She credits R. S. Central awakening her to what’s possible in the world for those who are unafraid of hard work.
She earned a Scholarship to Peace College, now William Peace University, but was unable to attend as her husband enlisted in the Navy and soon deployed to the war in Korea. Bill made two deployments during the war and served as a Navy Corpsman. Their first child, Debbie, was born in 1953 while Bill was deployed to Korea aboard the USS Magoffin (APA-199). Their second child, Michael, was born in 1955 while Bill was stationed at Jacksonville, Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida. While in the Navy they were able to live in California, Virginia and Florida, and although stressful due to their separations and the war, Ann often recalled how exciting and new it all was for a young family and her just barely out of high school. It required them to grow up quickly and face the hard and difficult challenges of life head on. Bill left the Navy and they returned to Spindale, N.C. in 1956.
Bill then attended Gardner-Webb College where he graduated in 1960. The family then moved to Asheville, N.C. followed by a move to Columbia, S.C. in 1963 where her children grew up; her daughter later graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Nursing and her son from The Citadel, both in 1977.
Ann’s career took off while in Columbia starting with the accounting firm A. M. Pullin & Co. where she was selected as Columbia’s “Secretary of the Year” in 1967. Soon hired by the elite Boineau Realty firm in Columbia, she quickly became the second ever female realtor, a profession closed to women at that time. While in Columbia she started several real estate and mortgage companies. One project in Atlanta, GA. resulted in the construction of the largest warehouse in the world at that time. She also served as the private realtor for Dr. Hillis Evans of Nashville, Tenn., and travelled often to New York, Maryland and Puerto Rico to address his real estate holdings. Ann served on Sears, Roebuck and Co.’s “Council of Career Women” and modeled for “Jenny Prince Originals” and the “Millie Lewis Agency” where she often modeled at merchandise marts in Atlanta, GA. and Dallas, TX. She opened her first of three clothing shops, “Ann’s Sample Shop”, in Columbia, S.C. and West Columbia, S. C. followed by her creating the “Modubilt Corp.” company which built modular buildings, rare but in great demand at that time.
These were busy but exciting times for her growing family in the 1960s and 70s. Once her children left home and began their own families and careers, she and Bill moved to Kissimmee, Florida for several years but returned to Rutherford County in 1989 to be near and assist with many ailing relatives. They built a nice home in the Rutherford County where they enjoyed an exciting lifestyle for the next 30 years, travelling often to see the world and their family.
While in Rutherford Ann was active in many community efforts including the R. S. Central Alumni organization, the local Arts Council, The ICC Foundation and Spindale Methodist Church, where they were both long standing members. They also attended and supported the county Senior Center for many years.
Ann was particularly proud of her efforts on R. S. Central’s first ever “All Class Reunion” in 1992. She had an abiding love for and remained deeply committed to R. S. Central High School which she often expressed was responsible, due to its wonderful teachers, for opening her eyes to the world of opportunities and possibilities. In 2017 she was awarded the Esse Quam Videri Award by R. S. Central and there remains an annual student scholarship awarded in her name.
Ann was a woman ahead of her time. She was fearless and broke many of what is now called “glass ceilings” for women. The life she gave her family was one of excitement, travel, challenge and love. It was often tough love but love that built toughness and resilience in her children, and prepared them well for the vagaries, uncertainties and challenges life always presents. She could at times be larger than life and she leaves a hole in the hearts of her beloved husband and family.
Ann was predeceased by her father, John Lloyd Blanton, her mother, Monnie Clara Geer Blanton and Sister Dorothy Geer Blanton Dobbins Elliott. She is survived by her Husband, Billy O. Howard also of Gilkey, Daughter, Debbie Monette Howard Gustafson of Tarpon Springs, Florida and Son Michael R. Howard of Vero Beach, Florida. Ann was the proud Grandmother of Jennifer Gustafson, Carrie Karr, William Patrick Howard and Katherine Marie Howard. She was also Great Grandmother to Amelia Grace Karr and Paxton Karr who brought her great pleasure in her last days.
A Viewing/Visitation will be held at 1 PM on Friday, August 13 at Mountain Creek Baptist Church in Gilkey, N.C. followed by a Funeral Service which begins at 2 pm. A graveside committal will immediately follow the Funeral Service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Yokefellow 132 Blanton St. Spindale, NC 28160 or Hospice of the Carolina Foothills, P.O. Box 336 Forest City, NC 28043.
Ann was born in Spindale, N.C. on March 14, 1934. Her father died in a tragic car accident when she was young as he returned from Norfolk, VA. where he’d found work building ships for the war effort. This made a profound impact on her and shaped her approach to life as she, her sister and her now widowed mother addressed life with meager means. Rather than succumb to her economic disadvantage and valid excuses for failure or a mediocre existence, she met life head on and embraced its challenges in an unusually optimistic and aggressive way.
In 1950, while still in High School, she married Bill but remained in school and graduated from R. S. Central High School in 1952. While there she was a cheerleader and active in many school activities such as the school newspaper and the home economics program. She credits R. S. Central awakening her to what’s possible in the world for those who are unafraid of hard work.
She earned a Scholarship to Peace College, now William Peace University, but was unable to attend as her husband enlisted in the Navy and soon deployed to the war in Korea. Bill made two deployments during the war and served as a Navy Corpsman. Their first child, Debbie, was born in 1953 while Bill was deployed to Korea aboard the USS Magoffin (APA-199). Their second child, Michael, was born in 1955 while Bill was stationed at Jacksonville, Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida. While in the Navy they were able to live in California, Virginia and Florida, and although stressful due to their separations and the war, Ann often recalled how exciting and new it all was for a young family and her just barely out of high school. It required them to grow up quickly and face the hard and difficult challenges of life head on. Bill left the Navy and they returned to Spindale, N.C. in 1956.
Bill then attended Gardner-Webb College where he graduated in 1960. The family then moved to Asheville, N.C. followed by a move to Columbia, S.C. in 1963 where her children grew up; her daughter later graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Nursing and her son from The Citadel, both in 1977.
Ann’s career took off while in Columbia starting with the accounting firm A. M. Pullin & Co. where she was selected as Columbia’s “Secretary of the Year” in 1967. Soon hired by the elite Boineau Realty firm in Columbia, she quickly became the second ever female realtor, a profession closed to women at that time. While in Columbia she started several real estate and mortgage companies. One project in Atlanta, GA. resulted in the construction of the largest warehouse in the world at that time. She also served as the private realtor for Dr. Hillis Evans of Nashville, Tenn., and travelled often to New York, Maryland and Puerto Rico to address his real estate holdings. Ann served on Sears, Roebuck and Co.’s “Council of Career Women” and modeled for “Jenny Prince Originals” and the “Millie Lewis Agency” where she often modeled at merchandise marts in Atlanta, GA. and Dallas, TX. She opened her first of three clothing shops, “Ann’s Sample Shop”, in Columbia, S.C. and West Columbia, S. C. followed by her creating the “Modubilt Corp.” company which built modular buildings, rare but in great demand at that time.
These were busy but exciting times for her growing family in the 1960s and 70s. Once her children left home and began their own families and careers, she and Bill moved to Kissimmee, Florida for several years but returned to Rutherford County in 1989 to be near and assist with many ailing relatives. They built a nice home in the Rutherford County where they enjoyed an exciting lifestyle for the next 30 years, travelling often to see the world and their family.
While in Rutherford Ann was active in many community efforts including the R. S. Central Alumni organization, the local Arts Council, The ICC Foundation and Spindale Methodist Church, where they were both long standing members. They also attended and supported the county Senior Center for many years.
Ann was particularly proud of her efforts on R. S. Central’s first ever “All Class Reunion” in 1992. She had an abiding love for and remained deeply committed to R. S. Central High School which she often expressed was responsible, due to its wonderful teachers, for opening her eyes to the world of opportunities and possibilities. In 2017 she was awarded the Esse Quam Videri Award by R. S. Central and there remains an annual student scholarship awarded in her name.
Ann was a woman ahead of her time. She was fearless and broke many of what is now called “glass ceilings” for women. The life she gave her family was one of excitement, travel, challenge and love. It was often tough love but love that built toughness and resilience in her children, and prepared them well for the vagaries, uncertainties and challenges life always presents. She could at times be larger than life and she leaves a hole in the hearts of her beloved husband and family.
Ann was predeceased by her father, John Lloyd Blanton, her mother, Monnie Clara Geer Blanton and Sister Dorothy Geer Blanton Dobbins Elliott. She is survived by her Husband, Billy O. Howard also of Gilkey, Daughter, Debbie Monette Howard Gustafson of Tarpon Springs, Florida and Son Michael R. Howard of Vero Beach, Florida. Ann was the proud Grandmother of Jennifer Gustafson, Carrie Karr, William Patrick Howard and Katherine Marie Howard. She was also Great Grandmother to Amelia Grace Karr and Paxton Karr who brought her great pleasure in her last days.
A Viewing/Visitation will be held at 1 PM on Friday, August 13 at Mountain Creek Baptist Church in Gilkey, N.C. followed by a Funeral Service which begins at 2 pm. A graveside committal will immediately follow the Funeral Service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Yokefellow 132 Blanton St. Spindale, NC 28160 or Hospice of the Carolina Foothills, P.O. Box 336 Forest City, NC 28043.