Wilson Little Funeral Home
Purcell-Newcastle, McClain Co., OK
(permission granted)

Peggy Howard, age 83 of Purcell, passed away Saturday, November 5, 2022, at Purcell Municipal Hospital.

Peggy Mildred Johnson was born September 29, 1939 in Gainesville, TX, the 2nd of 4 children born to Willie Wilson Johnson and Eutha Myrtle (Forbes) Johnson. She was raised in Thackerville and attended school there, and graduated Valedictorian with the Wildcat Class of 1957.

Right away, Peggy began working for the State. By chance, she was set up by a mutual friend to meet a young man named Gene Howard. Peggy showed, only to find out that Gene had gone fishing. He called her later that night, and the rest as they say is history. They first made their home in Oklahoma City, before settling in Purcell in 1966.

In 1987, at the age of 47, Peggy retired as an Administrative Assistant from the Department of Human Services, after 30 years of dedicated service. Right away, she began volunteering with McClain County’s Operation Christmas. Peggy was a great organizer, and her skills were valuable in coordinating other volunteers.

Peggy and Gene never had any children of their own, but they adopted several thousand for more than 27 years as dedicated elves.

Peggy was a woman of great faith and longtime member of Purcell First Baptist Church. She served wherever needed, in the nursery, and at the Free Medical Clinic. She served as President of the Town and Country OHCE and the McClain County Treasurer for the Oklahoma Home and Community Educator Group. She cherished Gene, and became a mother figure to her nieces and nephews. She will be dearly missed!

She was preceded in death by: her parents, Willie and Eutha Johnson; an infant brother; her brother Bill Johnson and nephew Bobby Scivally.

Peggy is survived by: her husband Gene Howard; Her sister, Linda Scivally and husband Don of Marietta; sister-in-law, Sherry Johnson Schneider and husband Mark of Kingston; several nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and a host of other family and friends.

Funeral Services are scheduled for 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at Little’s Chapel, Wilson-Little. Burial will follow at the Hillside Cemetery. www.wilsonlittle.com.