Rochelle Howard
Oct. 12, 1953-July 18, 2019
Rochelle Ruth Howard,
65, of rural Sawyer, ND,
died Thursday, July 18,
2019, at the Vibra Health-
care Hospital in Mandan,
ND.
Rochelle was born at
Minot, ND, October 12,
1953, to Arthur and Mabel
(Klimpel) Riley. She was
raised on the family farm,
south of Sawyer, ND. She
was educated in Sawyer
and graduated from
Sawyer High School in
1971. She attended Minot
State University for two
years. While in high
school she was active in
4-H and she traveled to
Chicago and Washington,
DC to further their cause
and projects of 4-H.
Rochelle enjoyed the
outdoors on the farm and
spent the majority of her
time tending to the an-
imals and being the “right
hand” to her father caring
for the cows, sheep, and
chickens. Gardening was
something that may have
been necessary, but not
her favorite pastime.
Rochelle was united in
marriage to Joel Howard
on June 29, 1973. To this
union two children were
born. Together they cele-
brated 46 years. The cou-
ple first made their home
in Minot for a short time
before moving to Wash-
burn, ND, where they
lived for twelve years. In
1985 they purchased the
Klimpel Homestead,
where she had been
raised and this has been
home these many years.
After the children were
older she worked as the
school cook at Sawyer.
Besides feeding the stu-
dents, she passed on life
lessons to the students,
which earned her lifelong
friends as the students
aged; they respected her!
She worked at ING Call
Center for 8 years and
most recently, Rochelle
devoted her care and love
to all the children who at-
tended the daycare at Our
Savior Lutheran Church,
named Little Hands Lov-
ing Hearts. Here she spent
seven years.
Rochelle enjoyed a good
game of cards, especially
whist and pinochle. This
was easy entertainment
for all of their family
get-togethers and she usu-
ally won!
Rochelle battled her ill-
ness since August 2018
and was hospitalized
these many months in
Minot before being moved
to Vibra Hospital in Man-
dan. Her family was with
her when she died.
Rochelle’s loving fami-
ly includes her husband,
Joel; 2 children: son, Ja-
son (Teri) Howard, of East
Grand Forks, MN, and
daughter, Janine (Mike)
Rice, of Riverside, CA,
and their children, Riley,
Cedric, Seth and Grace;
two brothers, Archie (Pat-
ty) Riley, and Larry (Ivy)
Riley, all of Moses Lake,
WA.
Rochelle was preceded
in death by her parents
and many aunts and un-
cles.
Funeral Services for
Rochelle Howard: Thurs-
day, July 25, 2019, at
11:00 a.m. in the Our Sa-
vior Lutheran Church,
Minot.
Visitation: Wednesday,
July 24, 2019, from 4:00
p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at
Thomas Family Funeral
Home.
Interment: Willis Town-
ship Cemetery, rural
Sawyer, ND.
Memorials: Willis
Township Cemetery fund
or to the donor’s choice.
Those wishing to share
memories and con-
dolences may use
www.thomasfamily
funeralhome.com.