Mrs. Harry D. (Neletta) Howard, former postmistress and business woman of Manville and one of that town's most loved citizens, died in a Cheyenne Hospital Friday, March 27, at the age of 95.

She had been amazingly alert and active until less than four years ago when she fell in her home and broke a hip. But even then she bounced back only to break the other hip in 1968. Again she healed and returned to active life until in February of this year she suffered a stroke which hospitalized her first here and later at Cheyenne. Since March 3 she has failed rapidly.

It was in the spring of 1918 that the family moved to the booming town of Manville where Mr. Howard established a jewelry business and built the family home in which she has resided since. On March 1, 1924, Mrs. Howard was appointed postmistress and held this position until her retirement March 1, 1948. During these years she also owned and operated a variety store which she continued to operate until the winter of 1964.

Mr. and Mrs. Howard observed their 62nd wedding anniversary in 1963, and he died in August 1964.

Besides her postoffice duties and business, she was best known for her many years of service to the Manville Church, first under the Methodist denomination and later as the Missionary Alliance Church. In the varying capacities sometimes as Sunday School teacher, at times as superintendent, and at other times as both, or again as church treasurer or clerk she served until past her ninetieth birthday. And as her daughter Mrs. A. F. DeCastro says, quoting a biblical phrase, "in quietness and confidence was her strength." She was baptized in the Christian (Disciples) Church at the age of 14.

She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, December 14, 1874, the daughter of the physician Dr. Jonathan and Emma Guillet Pettet. The family moved to Englewood, Ill., in 1882 where she grew to womanhood and gained an education in the public schools. She graduated from the University of Chicago in 1898 and taught school in a Chicago suburb for two years. In 1900 she came west to Tobias, Neb., to teach and there met Mr. Howard whom she married September 18, 1901, in the family home at Englewood, Ill.

Mr. Howard had previously been to Manville where he had a sister, Mrs. E. B. Baughn, and he and his new wife established their first home in Lusk where his primary occupation was as a tinsmith in the construction then taking place here. In 1904 the family returned to Tobias for a year and then moved to Fairfield, Neb., where, meanwhile Mr. Howard had taken up the trade of watchmaker. In the summer of 1910, the family, which by now consisted of four children, moved to Atkinson, Neb., where Mr. Howard established a jewelry store. The family lived here until moving back to Wyoming at Manville. While living at Atkinson Mrs. Howard served on the school board, and throughout her life she maintained a keen interest in community and public affairs and politics.

Mrs. Howard was a member of Niobrara Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star and was a past worthy matron of Mariposa Chapter of Manville before it was absorbed into the Niobrara Chapter.

Surviving are two sons, Robert of Redlands, Calif., and Ross of Cheyenne; three daughters, Mrs. A. F. (Edna) DeCastro of Lusk; Mrs. Emma Richardson of Manville, and Mrs. Murrin (Erma) Keenan of Pine Bluffs, Wyo.; 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Besides her husband, her father and mother, one sister, four brothers and two sons died previously.

Funeral services were held at the Manville Community Alliance Church at 2:00 p.m. Monday with the Rev. Richard Korns officiating. Mrs. Korns was organist and accompanied Mrs. G. L. Pfeifer and Mrs. Edna Fullerton singing "Asleep in Jesus" and "It Is Well With My Soul."

Casket bearers were Alvin Alexander, Lloyd Miller, Fred Sheaman, Robert Johnson, Lee Moore and Marian Rasmusen.

Burial was in the Manville Cemetery.
The Lusk Herald
April 2, 1970



Obit and info courtesy of
Debbie Sturman, Director
425 South Main Street, P O Box 510
Lusk, WY 82225-0510
Phone: 307-334-3490
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