Mrs. Shirley Howard

December 28, 1941 - January 3, 2018

Mrs. Shirley Dillingham Howard, a Dunnellon resident, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, January 3rd. Born in 1941 in Asheville, North Carolina to Rosco and Christine Dillingham, Shirley attended Florida State University. Thereafter, she moved to Miami where she met her late husband, Charles Howard, and worked in sales. Shirley and Charles retired to Eatonton, Georgia where they enjoyed gardening, boating, and soaking up the sun on Lake Sinclair. Shirley, an avid birdwatcher, loved a good mystery novel and southern cooking, and had a mischievous wit that always evoked laughter in those around her. She is survived by her children, Stephanie (Thomas Leto) Anderson and Melanie (Charles Cerase) Howard, her three grandchildren, Tiffany Anderson (Jay Rosenquest) Rosenquest, Haley (Dallas Baldner) Dewhurst, and Connor Cerase, and her great-granddaughter, Madeline Rosenquest. She is further survived by her dear friends, Buddy and Penny Penland, and her faithful dog and companion, Sweet Pea. A Celebration of Shirley’s life will be held at 4:00 p.m., on Saturday, January 20th, in Dunnellon, Florida. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Hospice of Citrus County, P.O. Box 641270, Beverly Hills, FL 34464, for their gentle care in Shirley's late years.