Bonnie Howard

ARLINGTON -- Bernice Brown Dean Howard, 88, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, July 10, 2008. Funeral: 11 a.m. Monday in the chapel of First Baptist Church Arlington, 300 S. Center. The Rev. Dr. Dennis Wiles, senior pastor, will officiate. Interment: 11 a.m. Tuesday in San Jacinto Memorial Park, Houston. Visitation: 10 a.m. Monday in the chapel. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mission Arlington, in care of First Baptist Church, 300 S. Center, Arlington, Texas 76010. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff of VITAS Hospice Care and donations may be made to them at 2501 Parkview Drive, Suite 600, Fort Worth, Texas 76102. Bernice was born Bonnie Bernice Brown on Aug. 31, 1919, in Shelby County to Headrick and Alice Pearl Wilburn Brown. Bernice was the first girl born in a family of eight children. Bernice earned the highest degree in the Order of Eastern Star as worthy Matron in 1980. She was a proud member of Chapter 713 in Wichita Falls. She was a proud poet all her life and was very happy to have her poems published in the National Library of Poetry, where she won the Editors Choice Award. Most recently she was a member of The Songbirds, a singing group at her residence. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Arlington. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Thurman Dean and Cecil Howard; sons, Charles Allen Dean and Jerry Calvin Dean; brother, Alvin Brown; and sisters, Catherine Lynch and Margie LaDue. Survivors: Son, Thomas Dean and wife, Dena; daughter, Martha Benson; brothers, Waymon Brown, Bill Brown and wife, Ada, Joe Brown and wife, Billie; sister, Neva Fields and husband, Joe; grandchildren, Mark Benson, Douglas Dean, Jennifer Dean Walsh, Amy Benson Stites and Leigh Anne Benson; great-grandchildren, Alex and Evelyn Benson, Anthony Serrano, Jacob and Lauren Stites, Blake and Brianne Walsh and Kyla and Bailey Beltz; many nieces and nephews; and extended family. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Bonnie Howard please visit our Sympathy Store.