Page 32 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2020- Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS
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Senior Senior

Retha Howard was going to South Plains Junior
College in Levelland, but she
was not prepared for college.
She didn’t know what to expect
Grateful said, “My first semester was a
or how to manage classes. She

crash course in survival.” She
transferred to Texas Tech in her
for My fourth semester and lived in the
dorm with her best friend. She
said Tech was very different from
SPC. Despite feeling like she “had
been thrown to the wolves,” she
Grandma pushed through. She was offered
a summer job at a bank, and while
she did not return to Tech the next
semester, she was hired full time
at the bank. Three years later, she
returned to Tech and received her
teaching degree.
by Logan Duncan
Retha met her husband Dee
Howard in a small town church
he’s been described as honest and shortly before Retha was born. near Levelland when she was
loyal. She’s an organizer and an Dorthy knew nothing about babies, fourteen. A year later, they began
Sempathizer. She’s a teacher and so she persuaded her mother to help. dating, until he graduated and moved
baker. She’s a great friend, a teacher Retha cried constantly for about six to Oklahoma. He was drafted into the
retirement advocate, a funds raiser, weeks. Apparently, that’s where she Army December 1965 and stationed in
and a Relay for Life supporter. And developed her loud mouth that came Germany until November 1967. They
above all of that, Retha Howard is my in handy for teaching elementary corresponded all that time and got
grandma and someone whom I have students! married February 25, 1968. She says
always looked up to. their marriage has been successful
The family moved to a two-bedroom
My favorite memories with her are house when Retha was five, and she
at the lake every summer. We always was very excited to have her own
go fishing early and catch a lot. In room. The heating in the house was a
the afternoon, we always go water floor furnace in the hall between the
skiing and swimming in the lake. After bedrooms and living room. During the
that, she always makes a really good winter Retha wore “cowboy boots”
dinner and amazing desserts. She’s which were very slick on the bottom.
consistently been here for me and She told me she fell more times than
helps in any way possible. She also has she can remember and burned her legs
an incredible history that began before on the furnace. She constantly had
my entrance to her life. crisscrossed burn marks on her legs.
Retha was born on February 20, 1947 Retha’s education was mostly in
in Hobbs, New Mexico to Dorthy Levelland. Her brother Darvel was
and Wayne Kirby. As a young bride, born her third grade year and she
Dorthy worked in a drug store while had to learn what it was like to be
Wayne was at sea during World War a big sister. Her mother had a 10th
II. After the Navy, Wayne farmed grade education, but her dad had
and worked in the Hobbs oil field only completed third grade. Retha

32 Lubbock Senior Link