Joy Irene Howe, 77, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, May 1, 2019, at her daughter’s home near Senatobia, Mississippi. She was a faithful servant to the Kingdom of God and mankind.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, 2019, at Faith Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church, 325 Lakewood Dr. in Batesville, Mississippi, and the interment followed at Forrest Memorial Park in Batesville. The family received friends on Saturday evening, May 4, 2019, from 6-8 p.m. at Wells Funeral Home.

Irene was born March 28, 1942, in Quitman County, Mississippi, to the late Thomas and Mary Jane Robertson Swindle. A nurse for 40 years, Irene started her career at Batesville Hospital and eventually retired from Tri Lakes Medical Center. She was a recipient of the distinguished Florence Nightingale Award. She was a prayer warrior and devoted member of her church. She enjoyed reading the Word of the Lord, attending church and working in the Kingdom of God. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary, founder of the Little Ladies Auxiliary, assisted with long term planning sessions with church members, and was a Sunday School teacher and member of the public relations committee. She also sang in the choir.

Irene always made time to be with her grandchildren, friends, and family, and welcomed them all to her table. She was known to make incredible desserts, which included a chocolate pie (that everyone wanted the recipe for) and intricately decorated birthday cakes. Her gift to many church members was to cater their wedding reception and make their wedding cake. She enjoyed traveling to see her relatives near and far and also traveling to foreign countries. She particularly enjoyed a trip to the Holy Land where she was re-baptized in the Jordan River. She collected cookbooks, pins, and many friends over the years.

The loving family she leaves behind include her husband of 59 years, Aubrey Burns Howe; children, Burney Howe (Carla) of Pontotoc, Mississippi,  Michael Clinton Howe (Pam) of Batesville, Ladye Jacqueline Durdin (Ray) of Senatobia; grandchildren, Brandon Howe (Sharon) of Southaven, Mississippi, Jonathan Caldwell Howe of Senatobia, Michael Shane Howe and Caleb Seth Howe both of Pontotoc, Chelsea Cheyene Foshee (Kaleb) of Sardis, Mississippi,  Raychel Rebeckah-Joy Durdin of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Jack-Thomas Heath Durdin and Maggi Eliza-Jayne Durdin both of Senatobia; great grandchildren, Brayden Allen Howe and Axel Cayden Howe of Southaven, Ragan Lane Howe of Pontotoc, and John Whyatt Ward Foshee of Sardis; sisters Mary Doris Lenard of Bruce, Mississippi,  Margaret Ann Jones of Horn Lake, Mississippi, her twin sister, Joyce Myrene Bently of Valparaiso, Indiana; 3 sisters-in-law, Mildred Howe of Oakland, Mississippi, Marion Howe of Neckarhausen Germany, and Maggie Swindle of Woodland, Mississippi. She also leaves behind Ricky Joe Kendall and Lisa Powell and a host of family and friends.

In addition to her parents, Irene was preceded in death by her brothers, J.T., Edward, and Clinton; sisters, Myrdis Swindle, Quebell Swindle, and Mildred Bradley.