Margaret R. Howard, 83

May 20, 2021

Margaret R. Howard aka Peggy, 83, of Lancaster, passed away on Thursday, May 20, 2021 at Luther Acres in Lititz. She was in the loving care of many fine nurses, including those of Masonic Villages Hospice, for which we are grateful. Born in Montclair, NJ and raised in Verona, NJ, Margaret was the daughter of Thomas and Winifred (Sharkey) Reilly, she was the wife of Gibbs R. Howard until his death in 2017. They had been married for 55 years.

Margaret was an alumna of Mount St. Dominic’s Academy in Caldwell, NJ, and received her nursing training at St. Michael’s in Newark, NJ. She was a Registered Nurse and spent most of her career at the former St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lancaster, working as an EEG/EKG technician. She enjoyed attending mass at the chapel at St. Joe’s and was a member of Sacred Heart Church and a daily communicant for as long as she was able. If you knew her she was surely praying for you.

Margaret and her family moved to Lancaster in 1972 and she and her friend/next door neighbor Nuala Fulton remained best friends until the very end. Margaret loved reading, hot fudge sundaes, baked potatoes with real butter, working on the NYT Sunday crossword puzzle, and most especially, playing bridge with the women of her bridge club(s) of 45 years. When compiling guest lists for weddings, the children of the bridge club knew to set aside 24 to 30 seats just for this very close group of friends and their spouses. She treasured time spent with the Louis’ Brunch Bunch. Last, she was a huge fan of Jeopardy, and we knew better than to speak to or to phone her when the show was on.

Margaret is survived by her daughter Kathy, wife of Dewey Shaffer, of Lititz, as well as her sister Gail Reilly and her sister Maureen (Reilly) Hearn, wife of Michael Hearn, all of Massachusetts. Also surviving are brother Kevin, husband of Nina, of Washington, as well as her brother Michael, of Kentucky. Her youngest sister Mary resides in Maine with her husband Jim Wilkins. Margaret was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Jill, wife of Joseph Storz Jr. of Lancaster, in addition to her brothers Tom, of Washington, Jack (spouse of Nancy), of Texas, and Brian (spouse of Kathy Dowd), of Virginia. She had 21 nieces and nephews. Above all, Margaret cherished her three grandchildren, Colin and Jack Storz, and Lily Shaffer.

Friends and family are invited to attend A Mass of Christian Burial at St. Philip the Apostle Church, 2111 Millersville Pike, Lancaster, PA at 11:00 AM on Saturday, June 19, 2021. Family and friends will be received from 10-11:00 AM. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, www.pancan.org.