MaryLou Howard

MaryLou Howard Franzen June 26, 2026 MaryLou Howard was born in Chicago, Ill., on November 21, 1942, the second child of Hugh and LaVergne Franzen. She grew up alongside her older brother, Jim, and her three younger siblings, Cathy, Tom, and her baby sister, Anne, with whom she remained close throughout her life. Her childhood took her from Chicago to Tulsa, then back to Chicago, and finally to Los Angeles as a teenager, where she graduated from high school. MaryLou learned early how to work hard and rely on her own determination. She put herself through school, paying her own way through a nursing program at Los Angeles County General Hospital, and later earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from LA State College. During her final year there, she joined the Air Force ROTC to help complete her degree. She went on to serve during the Vietnam War as a registered nurse at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, where she met and married the love of her life, Doug Howard, whom she was married with for 54 years until his death in 2024. They welcomed their first child there in Taiwan, Heidi, beginning the family that would become the center of her life. After moving to Idaho, MaryLou continued building both a family and a career outside of the military. She later earned a master’s degree in counseling from Idaho State University. Throughout her private and professional life, she dedicated herself to people who were underserved, overlooked, or in need of care. MaryLou was a devout Christian throughout her life. She was a lifelong Catholic before moving to Amazing Grace Fellowship in 2004, and her faith was not simply something she believed; it was something she lived. She relied on that faith, along with her own enduring spirit, to carry her through moments of hardship, crisis, and adversity. She dedicated her life to her husband, her children, and her family. She was the beloved wife of Doug Howard and the mother of Heidi (Jason) Houser, Sarah Howard, Catherine Robinson, and Joe Howard. She had a deep love for young children, especially her grandchildren: Ben Houser, Brandon (Hannah) Houser, Abigail Houser, and Anna and Cora Robinson. MaryLou also gave generously to her community. She will be remembered for her tireless dedication to her children, her work through the Harambee Club and Knights of Columbus Wives, and her more than 20 years of service on the board of St. Vincent de Paul in Twin Falls, including time spent serving as board president. She loved to garden at her home at Meander Point. Those who knew her will remember the quiet ways she cared for living things: her children, her patients, her neighbors, her community, her faith, and the flowers and plants she tended with patience and love. MaryLou was not someone who needed the spotlight. Her life was not a performance. It was a devotion. Whether caring for patients, tending her garden, serving her community, or welcoming family into her home, MaryLou led with quiet compassion, steadfast faith, and a servant’s heart. She leaves behind a legacy of service, resilience, faith, and love. A Celebration of Life will be held in her honor on Thursday, July 2nd 11 a.m., at Amazing Grace Fellowship in Twin Falls, Idaho. We would like to thank Visions Hospice and Seniors Helping Seniors, and a very special thanks to Nancy and Yvonne, who helped us see her home to the Lord.