It is with deep sadness that her family announces the passing of Ms. Teresa Jane Howard.
To so many throughout the years, especially the children whose lives she touched, she was lovingly known as “Aunt Tease.” Teresa had a heart of gold and was deeply loved by many. She was the type of person who would give you the shirt off her back, help anyone in need, and turn a stranger into a lifelong friend within minutes. She was the crazy, unforgettable one — the kind of soul who brought laughter, chaos, comfort, and love all at once. To know her was truly to never forget her.
Teresa found joy in the simple things in life. Just like her mother, she loved cleaning and doing laundry and took pride in caring for the people she loved. She enjoyed reading her Bible app, coloring, spending time with the family dog, Jax, and watching Westerns with her best friend, Russell.
No matter what she was going through herself, Teresa always tried to save everyone else first. Her nieces and nephews meant the world to her, and she loved each of them deeply.
She was preceded in death by her parents, the Rev. Robert Miller Howard Sr. and Mary Etta Howard; her grandparents, Laura Mae and Thomas Riggin and Annie Elizabeth and Maurice Howard; her brothers, Gregory Thomas Howard Sr. and Robert Miller Howard Jr.; her son, Trey William LeCates; her nephew, Richie O’Neal; and her lifelong friends, Maryann Pezzuto and Thomas Ray Lewis Jr., also known as “Fig.”
She leaves behind to cherish her memory her daughter, Kristin “Kriss” Howard; her grandsons, Trey Mahki Lilliston, Tyler LeCates, and Philip Alaniz; her granddaughters, Mia LeCates and Desiree’ LeCates; the father of her daughter, Wayne O’Neal; her sisters, Mary Beth Pfaff and Vivian Adean Alaniz; her nephews, Gregory Howard Jr., Robbie Howard, Tyler Taylor, Zachary Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Michael O’Neal, and Jeffrey Whitman, his wife, Serina, and their children, Mason, Wyatt, and Wae’Lynn; her nieces, Deanna Evans and her daughter, Ariana Ames, Heaven Howard Jones, and Amanda Howard Long; Kelly Diaz, who was like a sister to her; her best friend and roommate, Charles Russell Tyler; her lifelong friends, Maryshell Pepper, Anette Moore, and Doretha Grimes; and a host of extended family members and friends who loved her dearly.
Though her loved ones’ hearts are broken, they find peace in knowing Teresa is reunited with so many loved ones who went before her. Her love, laughter, strength, and unforgettable spirit will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.
A memorial service to celebrate Teresa’s life will be held on Saturday, May 23, at noon, at Thornton Funeral Home in Parksley.
“Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure. You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.”
