Barbara Howard Memorial by redeemeratl

Barbara Jeanne Howard

June 5, 1931 - September 21, 2024

Barbara Jeanne Howard (nee McGahan), born June 5, 1931, in Valparaiso, IN, passed away peacefully September 21, 2024 at her assisted living residence in Mesa, AZ. She was one of nine children born to Viola and William McGahan and is survived her two children, David McGahan and Karis Ostrander, stepson John Ostrander and grandchildren, Foster and River Ostrander. She was pre-deceased by her daughter, Elizabeth Howard.

Barbara thoroughly enjoyed living on a farm in northwestern Ohio when she was young and loved the animals. She loved children and animals and was fortunate to be surrounded by them throughout her life. They were naturally attracted to her.

Barbara had a passion for playing piano and organ and studied music with international award winning performer and composer, Elizabeth Gould Hochman, of Toledo, OH. Elizabeth’s sheet music and published scores from 1951-1991 are held by the University of Toledo.

Barbara pursued teaching piano and organ in the basement of her home in Maumee, OH for many years. She was organist at several Lutheran churches and served as a substitute organist throughout Toledo, OH spanning many years.

Her crowning achievement was a variety programmed 4 organ concert, held at the Toledo Masonic Auditorium, now called the Stranahan Theater, for which she had the classical portion of the concert. The venue seats 2400 and was sold out. Musicians from all over Detroit and Toledo praised her performance, including her teacher and mentor, Elizabeth Gould Hochman. With her second husband, Barbara owned music stores where they sold pianos, organs and sheet music and provided 15 studios for lessons.

She enjoyed horseback riding (English style), which continued to satisfy her love for animals and took riding lessons with her children, Beth and David. The family owned three horses for many years.

Barbara left Ohio in 1977 and relocated to Florida with Beth and David and worked for a time at a piano store in Ft Lauderdale selling Yamaha pianos. She quickly rose to be the number one salesperson and was always proud of the fact she sold a Yamaha grand piano to the famous actor, Burt Reynolds. He bought it as a gift for actor/comedian Charles Nelson Reilly. Subsequently, she became very involved in the health food profession where she went on to manage two different stores over a 23 year period. She thoroughly enjoyed listening to people’s health challenges and addressing them with the appropriate supplements. She retired in 1999 upon moving to Alpharetta, Georgia.

David was able to relocate his mother with him to Mesa, AZ in April 2021 where she continued to reside in assisted living until her passing.

Our family expresses special gratitude to those who so lovingly tended to Barbara’s care during her 6 1/2 years in assisted living; the staff at Sunrise Buckhead in Atlanta, GA and Embrace Assisted Living and Little Flower Assisted Living in Mesa, AZ.

PRELUDE GATHERING

Standing

Welcome in the name of Jesus the Savior, who died and was raised to new life by the grace of God. We are gathered here to worship, to remember before God our sister, Barbara Howard, to give thanks for her life, to commend her to our merciful redeemer, and to comfort one another in our grief.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of all mercy and the God of all consolation. He comforts us in all our sorrows so that we can comfort others in their sorrows with the consolation we ourselves have received from God. | Thanks be to God.

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM

When we were baptized in Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

ACCLAMATION

Eternal God, maker of heaven and earth, who formed us from the dust of the earth, who by your breath gave us life, we glorify you. | We glorify you.

Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life, who suffered death for all humanity, who rose from the grave to open the way to eternal life, we praise you. | We praise you.

Holy Spirit, author and giver of life, the comforter of all who sorrow, our sure confidence and everlasting hope, we worship you. | We worship you.

To you, O blessed Trinity, be glory and honor, forever and ever. | Amen.

HYMN: 660 Lift High the Cross

GREETING

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our sister, Barbara We thank you for giving her to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your

boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see that death has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may live in confidence and hope until, by your call, we are gathered to our heavenly home in the company of all your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. | Amen.

Seated REMEMBRANCES

• David McGahan, son

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

Psalm 121 (read responsively)

I lift up my eyes to the hills from where will my help come?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and for evermore.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Standing GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

THE HOLY GOSPEL

John 14:1-7

Seated

HOMILY

Standing HYMN 504 A Mighty Fortress is Our God

APOSTLES' CREED

Pastor Mark H. Larson

God has made us his people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Kneeling or Seated PRAYERS

Let us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Jesus, full of compassion, you consoled Martha and Mary in their distress; draw near to us who mourn for Barbara and dry the tears of those who weep.