Judy L. Howson

Judy L. Howson, age 83, of Gahanna, Ohio, passed away on November 30, 2025 with loved ones at her side. Judy was born on November 10, 1942 to Earl and Rebecca (Funk) Nance in Darby Township, Ohio. Judy was one of fourteen children born to Earl and Rebecca. After Rebecca's untimely passing, Judy was among the youngest children who were adopted by family members. Judy was adopted by Ralph and Marjorie (Weisheimer) Lockwood and raised in Upper Arlington, Ohio in a modest home on McCoy Road. On May 5, 1957, when Judy was 15, she and her family were named on a Compact for what was to be the first congregation of Northwest Christian Church-Disciples of Christ on Fishinger Road in Upper Arlington. Ground was broken and the church was completed a couple of years later. Judy graduated from Upper Arlington High School in 1960 and went on to work at Suburban Motor Freight trucking company. On December 8, 1962, Judy married John C. White at Northwest Christian Church and moved to California where she had her first two children, Joel White and Jennifer White. The marriage was not meant to be and Judy moved back to Columbus, Ohio and later married her high school sweetheart and had two more children; Teresa Howson and Christopher Howson. Judy was a stay at home mother for several years before joining Bank Ohio, which became National City Bank, where she worked as an executive secretary and was a valued employee for nineteen years. At the age of 60, Judy moved to Las Vegas where she enjoyed sunshine and not having to drive in snow for a couple of years! Judy moved back to Ohio and lived in Caldwell, Ohio for a short time, close to her son Joel and his wife Tenna. Judy then moved to Gahanna where she lived for the last twenty years.

Judy spent thirty years raising her four children, much of that time as a single mother; there were times she worked two jobs to provide for her family. When she finally retired at the age of 70, she was able to relax and sleep in... except she never slept in, she was still up at the crack of dawn every day! Judy enjoyed crocheting afghans for friends and family. She lived in a building with other seniors and was known to give rides around town to many of those without cars so they could run their errands. Judy enjoyed babysitting her two young grandchildren, Alexander and Molly, when they were younger; they were a bright light in her life.

Judy is preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Rebecca Nance, Ralph and Marjorie Lockwood, brothers Jack, Gene, Raymond, Bill, Ronnie and Donald Nance and sisters Bernadine, Betty and Sandra. Judy is survived by her four children, Joel (Tenna) White, Jennifer Meyer (White), Teresa Ricks (Howson) and Christopher Howson, grandchildren Alexander and Molly Howson and bonus grandchildren, Scott and David Osborne and Leah Cool. She is also survived by her brother Marvin Nance and sisters Mary Hatley, Ruthie Eubanks and Sally Terry.

Please join us as we celebrate Judy's life at a visitation scheduled to be held on Monday December 8, 2025 from 10am - 1pm with the funeral service to follow at 1pm at the Shaw-Davis Funeral Home located at 34 W. 2nd Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43201 with burial to follow at Union Cemetery, 3349 Olentangy River Road Columbus, Ohio. There will be a gathering following the burial, announcements will be made at the services.