Linda (DePaul) Howard
May 09, 2010
Linda C. Howard, 54, passed away Sunday evening, May 9, 2010. Linda was born on June 10, 1955 in Chicago, the second daughter of Charles and LaVerne DePaul. She left behind a large, and very shocked family including her mother, sisters, brother, husband, many nieces and nephews and her children. Linda had three children; her daughters Drisana and Natalie, and her son Ellery. She was also awaiting the birth of her first (unnamed) grandchild in October. She was the anchor of the family, and there wasn't anyone who didn't look up to her.
A memorial service will be held Monday, May 17, 2010 at 4 p.m. in the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints, where she married her husband Dennis Howard. The church is located at 3301 Ashworth in West Des Moines.
Linda lived a full life and was a very intelligent and accomplished woman. She held a Master's degree in both Business Administration and Range Management & Land Reclamation from the University of Arizona. She also had a Bachelor’s in Forest management from Northern Arizona University. She trained in the DNR Leadership Academy; and in process improvement, pesticide application, wildfire on-ground, and various environmental courses. Linda worked for the DNR but held various other careers throughout her life too numerous to list.
Linda had many talents and enjoyed a plethora of activities. She knew how to draw, dance, ski, scuba dive, and was an excellent cook. She enjoyed gardening, watching the birds in her yard, marathon running and almost any form of exercise. She was a very healthy and active woman. She also loved music of many kinds and filled the home with song, whether we wanted her to or not.
Linda was also very caring and generous, donating money and lots of her time. She belonged to and volunteered with many organizations including, XI Sigma PI, Forestry Honor Society, Society of American Foresters, Children’s International Sponsor, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, MENSA, Habitat for Humanity and many roles in her church.
She had a very nurturing personality, and loved to care for people. Her siblings, children in the church, friends of her children and many other people have warm memories of her as a motherly figure in their life.
She will be greatly missed and left us entirely too soon.
Online condolences may be made to www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com
Ryan Conner
06/10/2010
I would like to offer my condolences to Linda's friends and family. I worked for Linda for a few years and learned to respect her warmth, intelligence and humor. She will be missed by many.
Bruce Strelinsky
06/08/2010
Dear Family of Linda,
I am so saddened to hear of the news today 6/8/10 of Linda's passing.
I was just simply an old schoolmate from H.S. and sat next to Linda in biology class freshman year at Conant.We had numerous laughs together in school,and I really enjoyed her warmth.
I wish you strength and peace.
Bruce Lee Strelinsky
Sous Chef
Three Crowns Park
Evanston,IL.
brucestrelinsky@yahoo.com
Laura and Rich Schneider
05/29/2010
We are shocked and saddend to hear the news of Linda's passing. We were neighbors in the small town of Alberta outside L'Anse, MI so long ago. Dennis, Drisana, Ellery and Natalie we are so sorry for your loss.
Shane and Kaddi Strate
05/24/2010
Please accept our condolences at Linda's passing. We only knew the Depaul family for a short time while we were in Madison but, like many others, we admired her commitment to the Church and to her children.
Gene Odato
05/20/2010
I am so sorry to hear of Linda's passing. Her personality, knowledge and skills made working with her a very pleasant experience. I looked forward to the annual meetings of forest program leaders and especially enjoyed the year she hosted all of the northeast states.
I work for the PA Bureau of Forestry and was her counterpart in Pennsylvania for a long time.
My thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Gene F. Odato
Brent Olson
05/18/2010
Dennis and Linda's Family,
I am sure sorry to hear about the passing of Linda, I sure appreciated everything she did for me during my beginning stages of chemotherapy for my cancer. She was always on the ready on the other end of the phone to be a comfort for all the pain and sickness i have been going through over the last 3 1/2 years. I always enjoyed visiting with her and had some great conversations and walks with her when we were together during our years together with work. She was such a caring person, not many could come close to her as a caring person. I am sure sorry i couldn't make it to the service as i just found out about this tragic ending of her life here on earth, but i had many conversations of her love for Jesus and know she is with him now without the pains and anguishes of this life. My prayers our with you all.
Julie (Scharm) Polasky
05/17/2010
I am so sorry for your loss and am thinking of your family during this difficult time. Linda was my supervisor at the Wisconsin DNR. She believed in me, encouraged me, and challenged me. Ill never forget all that she did for me and all of the kind words she said to keep me striving for my goals, both at work and in life. Her support, even after her move to Iowa, meant the world to me. She was a wonderful person with a warm heart, positive attitude, and nurturing soul. She will never be forgotten by all of the people whose lives she touched. She will be greatly missed.
Mark Buccowich
05/17/2010
I worked with Linda during the time she was in Wisconsin. She was a hard working, committed natural resource professional who cared deeply about being a good steward of the land. It was a real pleasures to know her and work with her. Please accept my sympathy and condolances at your loss.
Duane Bedford
05/17/2010
To Linda's family,
I'm the District Forester with the D.N.R. at Chariton. I greatly enjoyed working with Linda. Though she was not my supervisor, I still interacted with her whenever she came down to Stephens S.F. (if I wasn't out in the field myself) and whenever we were together at state meetings. She was always pleasant and had a lovely smile on her face. I wish you all the best and that your pleasant memories of her are bountiful and endless. God be with you all and bless you.
Craig Tansley
05/17/2010
I only had the occasion to meet Linda a couple of times, but she never failed to impress me with her intelligence, her wit, and her sense of humor. Her loss is a great tragedy for this world as well as her family. Please accept my most sincere condolences.
Craig Tansley
Judy Adams
05/15/2010
Please accept my heartfelt sympathy to the entire family, on the passing of Linda.
(Friend of Charles)
Cynthia DePaul Beiser
05/11/2010
Our hearts are with you at this unthinkably tragic time...my sister was such a wonderful human being & we will miss her greatly. Should you need anything, we will be here. With love & respect, Cynthia, Larry, Mike, Reeva & Adrianna Beiser
Charles DePaul
05/12/2010
Linda did a lot for me, and I will miss her very much. She was a help to me at critical times in my life, often without even realizing it. Her kindness got me through much, and I will never forget how she sat beside me when I had chicken-pox, reading to me, distracting me from scratching. She inspired me to do better. I was eventually able to look my personal demons in the eye, and finally realize they only have as much power over me as I give them. I will continue to do better as long as I'm here, and remember her always.
I believe our kindness is something we get to take with us. Linda has more than most. She was taken away from us far too soon.
I offer any help I am able to give.