Patricia N. Howard, 83, of Wakefield, R.I., died on Aug. 3, 2014. She was the wife of the late Jeb Howard.
Born in Hamilton, Bermuda, she was the daughter of the late Lucius and Nora Stone, and sister of Deborah Harper Cacy. She was predeceased by her brother Michael Stone and her son Bruce Howard.
As a young woman, she was qualified for the 1948 Olympics in sprinting and played the Eastern U.S. Grass Court Tennis circuit. She was fond of saying, “I played against the best players in the world and lost.” In 1951, she left Bermuda and moved to the Washington, D.C. area; she lived in Potomac for more than 40 years.
Her interests were many and varied. She was an avid tennis player most of her life and loved a good party – whether hosting or attending. She was an excellent seamstress and chef and had a penchant for bright, tropical colors. She loved good music and was a dancer at heart, even taking up belly dancing. As a painter, her favorite subject matter was water, waves, and skies – often of her homeland Bermuda.
After years as a homemaker, she was employed as a real estate agent, travel agent, sales associate at Lilly Pulitzer, and an aerobic dance instructor.
She is survived by three daughters: Charmian Fletcher of Virginia; Galen McGovern of Wakefield, R.I.; Kristin Howard of Shannock, R.I.; six grandchildren: Andrew and Dana Fletcher of Fredricksburg, Va.; Samuel Howard of Delaware; and Michael, Matthew, and Daniel McGovern of Wakefield; nephews Matthew and Colin Harper, Tom Stone, and niece Joann Stone.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Aug. 30, at 4:30 p.m. at the Gardner Bungalow, Matunuck.
