Obituary lovingly written by the family of Freda Agatha Howard:

Freda Agatha Howard, born March 21, 1934 in Woodston, Kansas, passed away on January 22, 2026 in Neosho, Missouri. While these are the bookends, for the story of her life we will need to go on a little trip.

Freda Agatha Thomison was born in the small western Kansas town of Woodston during the dust bowl years. Raised by her Grandfather and Grandmother Bonney, she followed her Grandma Bonney's' progressive streak. The two bravely travelled between Kansas and California where the family, like many others, were able to find work to pay property taxes on the farm back in Kansas. While most of her formative years were spent in California, Freda would retain a fondness for the windswept prairie all her life.

After graduating High School in Fresno California, Freda worked as a draftsman for the Standard Oil Company and also worked at the nursery of the local hospital. She was very proud to be independent at a time when few women worked professionally.

She later married a career soldier, Donald E. Howard. Early in the marriage, Donald was stationed at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM, where Freda continued working as a draftsman for Standard Oil. A subsequent deployment to Italy brought the adventures that only a country with such history, art, and culture could bring to the couple and their fledgling family, providing a lifetime of fond memories that Freda loved to recount. A favorite of those memories is how the couple relied on their young daughter to translate between Italian and English for them.

Returning to the United States, the family spent several years at Fort Sam Houston, near San Antonio, where three sons were born and many years of broken things ensued. The young family thrived under the hot Texas sun during that time of such can-do-it attitude in early 1960's America.

In 1967 the family moved from Texas to Anderson, Missouri, where in-laws lived and many of Donald's family lived close, one being Donna Sampson, who later married Donald's youngest brother Dennis, and became Freda's lifelong friend and really the sister that she never had. Although the new home they found was a rental at first, Freda once described the first time she saw it. She described driving down the long tree-lined driveway to arrive at the rock house with the large sheltering eves and the little white porch and she knew instantly that it would be her forever home. Now carrying that independent and progressive spirit of her Grandma Bonney forward, Freda focused on raising her family in this new home, perhaps the most challenging was having to tend the farm by herself during her husband's subsequent deployment to Vietnam. During the years that followed, the family enjoyed the greatest possible upbringing and the property will be cherished going forward. It was a place where family and friends would gather, relaxing and sharing in endless card games, endless food, and endless laughter, not leaving until they had to. It was important to Freda that all were to be welcome there and all appreciated for who they were, without judgement. The only requirement for acceptance was honesty, which had become the underlying tenant to her life, after having been left with her grandparents for rearing. This influence was so pervasive that many of the children's friends, who were known to have ongoing fibs with their parents, found themselves compelled to be open and honest with her so that they could be welcome there and stay as long as possible.

A passionate reader and lifelong learner, Freda completed college courses later in life and returned to freelance drafting for a period. She loved music and the arts and spent her spare time crafting quilts, needlework projects, and painting. She also loved to cook and continued making sure her food would be enjoyed widely by working at the Bake Shop in town, just a short distance along the railroad track from where her mother-in-law had served the hungry workers in the morning at Otis' Cafe some 20 years prior. While it was her cinnamon rolls that brought in the customers, it was the daily events and discussion with customers that she loved to recount.

Except for a brief failed attempt at a dairy farm in the late 1970's that all can agree is entirely the fault of that craze called Disco, Freda spent the remainder of her life in that same rock home she had embraced upon first seeing; loving the big oak trees, the big covered front porch, and especially the constant breeze that cools the property during warm summers. Later in life, she especially loved to spend mornings on that porch having a coffee or conversation.

For all of Freda's 9 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren, whenever in your life that you might read this, please know that she was so proud of each of you and loved each of you for being who you are. She loved to hear about you and what your passions were and what you were doing in your life.

For Freda's children, Diane Elhard (of Anderson), David H. Howard (Albuquerque, NM), Bryan L. Howard (Neosho, MO), Don Howard (Liberty, MO, as well as her great friend Donna Howard (Neosho, Missouri) her only ask of us is to carry that progressive and independent spirit forward. Friends of Freda: She loved all animals and especially dogs. Over the years many would find their way to her home. They seemed to know they were going to be in a place where someone cared and appreciated the wonderful things that they could do for all of us, sometimes just being a friend and never asking for more than a pat on the head.

Please carry her spirit forward by supporting: Faithful Friends Neosho, MO 417-592-2512 https://www.ffaaneosho.or