Ita Belle Howard, 92, of Whitesville, passed away Friday, January 13, 2023, 2 days before her 93rd birthday, at the Carmel Home. She was born January 15, 1930 in Whitesville to the late Arnold and Ethel Shively Howard. Ita was a lifelong member of St. Mary of the Woods Catholic Church and a devoted Catholic. She was involved in many activities such as variety shows, working bingo, counting money, working at St. Vincent DePaul store, donating baked goods and being a member of the choir with a love for music. Ita worked at Sears most of her adult life until retirement. After her retirement she worked at Owensboro National Bank in Whitesville for a period of time. Ita had no children of her own, but had a great love for her 27 nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Ita was preceded in death by her sisters, Mary Jo Shory, Mildred Howard, Sister Mary Eileen Howard, OSU; brother James Leon Howard, Charles E Howard, Michael Lee Howard and Brice Dean Howard; sister-in-law, Martha Howard and brother-in-law Seebie Shory.
Ita is survived by her brothers, Robert C (Doris) Howard, Daniel E. (Sue) Howard and her sisters-in-law Maxine Howard and Marilyn Howard; her 27 nieces and nephews, Mary Jo’s children; Larry Shory, Richard Shory, Carl Shory, Celeste Rudolph; Jim’s children, Tony Howard, Pam Howard, Mark Howard, Steve Howard, Mary Beth McCarthy; Bob’s children, Keith Howard, Mitchell Howard, Carla Morris, Ann Greer, Damian Howard, Julie Pence; Charlie’s Children, Janet Hardy, Joni Barnett; Dan’s Children, Debbie Mills, Dan Howard, Jr., Jeff Howard, Greg Howard, Cyndi Isbill, Sheila Calhoun; Brice’s children, Lorin Howard, Kevin Howard, Jonett Howard and Iain Howard.
The family requests expressions of sympathy take the form of donations to St. Mary’s campaign for a new school/ Together We Can. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
A funeral Mass will be said at St. Mary of the Woods Catholic Church in Whitesville, KY at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 20, 2023. with burial following at St. Mary of the Woods Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Carmel Home on Thursday, January 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and at Cecil Funeral Home in Whitesville from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with prayers at 7:00 p.m