Karen Constantine Howes passed away on July 25, 2022. She was born Aug. 2, 1936 to the late Tony and Winnie Constantine, of Morgantown. She was the second of five children.
Karen was a 1954 graduate of Morgantown High School, where she graduated with honors, as well as a 1957 honors graduate of West Virginia University, where she was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority and the French and education honoraries. In June of 1956, she married Tom Howes and they began their lives together. Karen taught school in their early life while Tom finished medical school. In later years, she was a substitute teacher before moving to Florida, where she was an employment counselor for the state.
Tom and Karen raised their family in Morgantown and were arguably the loudest house on the block. There were screen doors banging, the outdoor “come home” bell ringing, stereos playing, basketballs bouncing, guitars strumming, mini bikes being ridden and children making all manners of joyful and not so joyful noise. It was the place to be on Meridan Street. There was often homemade bread, pepperoni rolls and cookies. Many bake sales featured her wares. She always made and elaborately decorated her children’s birthday cakes. In addition to being an excellent cook, Karen was an accomplished seamstress, making Halloween costumes, prom dresses, some of her daughter’s wedding dresses and even men’s suits. She was a homeroom mother, a Cub Scout den mother and an active volunteer with the medical auxiliary, PTA, American Cancer Society, Delta Gamma sorority and the Morgantown swim club. She was the Mom who always showed up with a smile and food to feed the multitudes. She was the wife and mother who always showed up for her husband and each of the children in any way they needed her.
Karen was an avid reader and loved to do crossword puzzles in pen. She continued to do the daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper until dementia began robbing her memory.
She will be missed by all who knew her and will live on in the hearts and lives of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her six children: Stephanie and Jim Juristy, of Morgantown, Susan Piribek, of Winston-Salem, N.C., Tom Howes Jr. and Anne Hoffman, of Potomac Md., Ann O’Neal, of Morgantown, Tony and Holly Howes, of Morgantown, and Andrea and Cliff McHenry, of Sarasota, Fla.
She is survived by grandchildren: Jarod Stalnaker, of Morgantown, Ethan Juristy, of Morgantown, Courtney and Alston Team III, of Winston-Salem, N.C., J.T. and Tyler Piribek. of Cameron, N.C., Emily and Todd Schlossman, of Littleton, Colo., Travis O’Neal, of Morgantown, Blake Howes, of Morgantown, Shae Johnson, of Clintonville Wis., Jordan Howes, of Morgantown, Peyton Johnson, of Morgantown, Jaden Johnson of Orlando, Fla., Parker McHenry, of Charlotte N.C., and Allison McHenry, of Sarasota, Fla.
She is survived by nine great-grandchildren: Alston, Emma and Ruthie Team, of Winston Salem, N.C., Bear Lee, Addington and Georgie Piribek of Cameron, N.C., Addie Jane and Theodore Schlossman of, Littleton, Colo., and Wrenley O’Neal, of Morgantown.
She is also survived by two siblings, Steven and Marsha Constantine, of Dallas, and Leah and Bob Jones, of West Palm Beach, Fla.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Howes; parents, Tony and Winnie Constantine; grandson, Payton McHenry; brother, Marc Constantine; and sister, Jane Smith.
Friends and family will be received at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce St., Morgantown, from 5-7 p.m. on Friday July 29. Visitation will continue from 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 30, with Pastor Martha Ognibene officiating. Burial will follow at Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to be made in Karen’s memory to The Pantry Plus More, 9 Rousch Drive, Morgantown, WV 26501.
Condolences:
www.hastingsfuneralhome.com
