Mable Howard

Mable B. Howard PORTSMOUTH - Mable Bailey Howard of the 4500 block of Duke Drive, passed away at home surrounded by her loving family Sept. 30, 2010. Mrs. Howard was born June 12, 1931 in Durham, N.C., the daughter of the late Donald Milton Bailey formerly of Raleigh, N.C., and Mrs. Mable Williams Bailey formerly of Danville, Va. She was raised in Danville after the death of her parents. She attended George Washington High School and graduated from Strafford College. She retired from the Chesapeake Public School system as the library clerk at Western Branch High School after 20 years of service. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Ernest "Rabbit" Howard; daughters, Karen Cooper (Bill) of Virginia Beach, Laura Beth Dobson (John) of Chesapeake; grandson, Trey Cooper of Virginia Beach; granddaughters, Brooke Cooper of Virginia Beach and Jessica Dobson of Chesapeake; her brother, D.M. Bailey Jr. (Marie) of New Bern, N.C.; and her beloved cat, Misty. The family expresses a special thank you to Heartland Hospice for their assistance. A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in Olive Branch Cemetery, Portsmouth. Foster Funeral Home is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.