Rachel Howard

1928 - 2018

Rachel (Pease) Howard of Hingham died September 3, 2018, at the age of 90, after a brief illness. She was born and raised in New Bedford, to Helen M. (Zabriskie) and Luther M. Pease, and was the youngest of three girls. She loved sailing and music; she sang and learned to play both flute and piano at an early age. Rachel was gifted with perfect pitch, a rare attribute. She was a music major and a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority at Boston University, where she met her husband of over 50 years, Russell A. Howard. They married and started a family in Belmont. She was a stay-at-home mom to five children, and was very active in their lives, including participation in both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Also active politically and socially, she was a member of All Saints Church choir and Altar Guild; the Florence Crittenton League; past president of Belmont Women of Rotary; and an election clerk and precinct warden for many years. After 30 years in Belmont, the Howards moved to Marshfield, where they lived for the next 26 years. Rachel was organist and choir director for Union Mission Chapel in Scituate, Beechwood Congregational Church in Cohasset, and was a member of the American Guild of Organists. In 2004, after her husbands death, she moved to Linden Ponds as one of the first 100 "pioneer" residents. There, Rachel was extremely active in choral groups, hand bell ringing, travel, and performing arts. She will be remembered at Linden Ponds for knowing the names of almost everyone she encountered, and her warm and friendly nature. Rachel had a "bucket list", and was proud that she was able to attend the Indianapolis 500 race in 2007, as well as the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena a few years later. Just a few years ago Rachel flew in a B-24 Liberator, the type of plane her husband flew in as a nose gunner during World War II. She loved to travel, and most recently completed a cruise through the Panama Canal with two of her daughters. She also loved stargazing and bird watching, and could identify most plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, North American birds, and constellations. She is survived by her five children and their families, Deborah H. Greene and her husband John of Belmont, Peter Howard and his wife Ellen of Marshfield, Judith Howard and her husband David Meikle of Portsmouth, N.H., Andrea Howard of Watertown, Steven Howard and his wife Naomi Palmer of Asheville, N.C.; and her precious dog Coco. She was the cherished Nana of Stephanie Moyer, Justin Greene, Olin Johannessen, Tori and Peter Zopf and Samuel and Rowan Howard; and seven great-grandchildren; dear sister of the late Mary Azzari and Margaret Netsky; loving sister-in-law of C. Theresa and the late George Howard, and Marlene and the late Theodore Howard, all of Marshfield. Also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and friends. A celebration of Rachel's life will be held September 22, 2018, at 2 p.m. St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 465 First Parish Rd., and Rte. 3A, Scituate, with a reception following. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to the Angelman Syndrome Foundation, 75 Executive Dr., Suite 327, Aurora, IL 60504; or the Charles Boucher MD Endowed Education Fund in Cardiology at the MGH Heart Center at giving.massgeneral.org (or checks made payable to Massachusetts General Hospital can be mailed to MGH Development Office, Dr. Charles Boucher Education Fund, Attn: Lily Guttentag, 125 Nashua Street, Ste. 540, Boston, MA 02114-1101).