Nancy Howes

Nancy Lock Howes
May 19, 1950 - August 17, 2020
Down-to-earth, personable and straightforward with a lively sense of humor and unforgettable laugh, Nancy Lock Howes passed away on August 17, 2020. Nancy was born on May 19, 1950, to first-generation Chinese immigrants in Spokane, WA. After earning a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of Washington, at the age of 24 she made her way by train from Washington to San Francisco, CA, with nothing but a little luggage and a lot of determination. She later met her husband Derek at the University of California, San Francisco, beginning a 30-year union. Her varied interests and eclectic tastes in books and music colored all aspects of her life. Her musical interests ranged from Brazilian jazz to Spanish music and Fado to Roy Orbison and Aretha Franklin. Her avid reading took her from "War and Peace" to Jane Austen to "Watership Down" and included mysteries, thrillers and crime novels. An enthusiastic puzzle player, she could complete a crossword in a matter of minutes. Speaking of puzzles, it puzzled her family that she who loved to swim and loved the water never got her hair wet! With a sense of adventure, she was never afraid to explore new and different cuisines and had a penchant for spicy foods in particular. She enjoyed exploring her city, too, and walked every street in San Francisco, often with her best friend Ellen alongside. Nancy had a soft spot for animals and animal videos and was a regular contributor to the ASPCA and Heifer International. One day, telling her husband she was taking the kids to "look" at the local shelter, she fell instantly in love with a 50-pound mutt. Much to Derek's surprise, they arrived home with the rambunctious pup, newly christened Oscar. Above all, Nancy was a devoted mom. She quit a high paying job in San Francisco so she could work closer to home to be there for her children. No matter how hard she'd labored all day, the evenings always found her sitting at the kitchen table in her favorite chair, reading and ready to help with homework. She loved her family, her friends and her home and she will truly be missed by everyone she knew, her family and her loving husband. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to her favorite charity, water.org, providing access to safe water around the world.