Alice Wheeler Howell, 70

Alice Wheeler Howell, 70, of Woodstock, passed away on Monday, Aug.16, 2021, at her home in Woodstock. 

She was born Nov. 17, 1950, in Roswell, N.M., the daughter of Lewis B. and Molly (née Joslyn) Wheeler. She married Robert J. Howell on Jan. 6, 1979, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Woodstock. 

Alice was a graduate of Crown Point High School in Indiana, class of 1968. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Memphis Academy of Arts in 1974. She started her career as an interior design consultant with Lloyds Paint & Paper in Woodstock, as well as with Haversham Country Store. She left that career to become the art teacher at St. Mary School in Woodstock, where she stayed until her retirement in 2009. Alice’s legacy is with her students, whom she taught that art appreciation is in the eye of the beholder and that art should be fun. Because of her, many students listed art as their favorite class in school.

Alice was very involved at St. Mary Catholic Church in Woodstock. She was invaluable serving on the Art & Environment Guild at the church and could be found tirelessly decorating the church for different holy days throughout the year if, of course, you were up early enough to catch her there. She was also a board member of The St. Mary of Woodstock School Foundation, Inc.; and President of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Woodstock Knights of Columbus and a member of the D.A.R. 

She is survived by her husband, Robert J. Howell, of Woodstock; several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; many nieces and nephews; many cousins and dear friends. Alice left an imprint on most people who met her; she was blessed with artistic talent, and shared her talents with those she called her friends. She was preceded in death by her parents. 

Visitation will be held on Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Schneider, Leucht, Merwin & Cooney Funeral Home, 1211 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock. The visitation will continue on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, at the funeral home from 9 a.m. until the 10 a.m. funeral Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church, 312 Lincoln Ave., Woodstock. Interment will follow in the Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Woodstock. 

The family would like to thank the Family Center Hospice of Addison and the Visiting Angels Home Health Care of Crystal Lake, as well as her dear friends, Sue Smith and Anne McCoy, for all the help and care they provided. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The St. Mary of Woodstock School Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 223, Woodstock, IL 60098 (thestmaryfoundation.org)

For information, contact the Schneider, Leucht, Merwin & Cooney Funeral Home at 815-338-1710, or visit slmcfh.com.