Mary Louise Howard

     Mary Louise Howard, age 83, of Ovid, MI, passed away Sunday, April 26, 2026, at Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI.
     Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes - Houghton Chapel, Ovid, MI, at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, May 2, 2026, with Pastor Kathy Leydorf-Keck officiating. Burial will take place at Middlebury Township Cemetery, Ovid, MI. Visitation will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026, from 2-8 P.M. with family present from 2-4 & 6-8 P.M. at the funeral home.
     Mary was born in Owosso, Michigan on November 7, 1942, the daughter of Frank and Cora (Austin) Kadolph. She graduated from Ovid High School with the class of 1960. After graduation she received her bachelor’s degree at CMU and her masters at the University of Colorado Boulder. Mary married Lyle Howard on December 22, 1973, at the first Baptist Church in Ovid.
     Mary was the social studies teacher at Ovid-Elsie Middle School for 33 years until her retirement in 2001. She was a world traveler and spent time visiting all 7 continents with her travel companion Paulette Bird. Her greatest adventures were walking with cheetahs in South Africa, visiting Machu Pichu and the Galapagos Islands. In her earlier years, she enjoyed backpacking on Isle Royale and the Rocky Mountains with Lyle and her children. Mary created glass mosaic stepping stones, enjoyed working in her flower gardens and was a cat lover who kept the neighborhood cats fed. She enjoyed attending MSU football games and playing guitar.
     She is survived by her husband Lyle Howard of Ovid, MI; her children: Brian and Lisa Howard of St. Johns, MI; Stacie and Rick Saylor of Ovid, MI; Greg and Gemaya Griffin of Ann Arbor, MI; Tyson and Rachel Howard of Dexter, MI; and Travis and Karissa Howard of Lansing, MI; 11 grandchildren: Jennifer Howard, Jordan and Krista Howard, Dyllan Howard, Ryan Saylor, Chelsie and Jordon Halfman, Josie Griffin, Elke Griffin, Keaton Howard, Zane Howard, Rowen Howard and Isaac Howard. She is also survived by great-grandchildren: Natalie Saylor, Madisyn Halfman, Reece Halfman, Emelia Halfman, Adelyn Howard, Emmarie Howard, Kaden Howard and her brother Hal and Carolyn Kadolph. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers: Gary and Danny Kadolph, her sister Kathryn Kadolph and grandson Michael Howard.
     Memorials may be made to the Shiawassee County Humane Society Owosso, MI 48867 or Shiawassee/Clinton MARSP. Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes - Houghton Chapel, Ovid, Michigan.