Patricia Ann Wetzel Howard, a devoted wife, mother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on April 25, 2025, with her beloved husband, Jack, her son, Richard, and daughter, Patty by her side. She was 91 years old.
Born on June 23, 1933, to E.W. “Jim” Wetzel and Frankie Ellsworth Wetzel, Patricia (Pat) in Chicago, Illinois. She grew up in the Oak Park area of Chicago as the eldest of four children. She shared a close bond with her twin brothers, Robert and Richard Wetzel, and her sister, Ann Turner.
Pat met her future husband, John K. “Jack” Howard, at Beloit College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in 1955. Shortly after graduating, she married Jack, who was then serving as a U.S. Navy pilot. Together, they embarked on a life of adventure and dedication. Pat worked at Ryan Aeronautical Company in San Diego before the couple moved to Kodiak, Alaska, where she taught Math and Physics before welcoming their son, Richard, in 1957.
Shortly after Richard was born, Jack left the Navy to pursue a master’s degree in Geology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where their daughter, Patty, was born. After completing his studies, the family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where Jack joined Standard Oil of California. There, Pat gave birth to their third child, Laura, before the family relocated to Port Harcourt, Nigeria in 1965.
Life in Nigeria brought new, lifelong friendships and very different experiences. In addition to raising three children in a third world country, Pat found the time to volunteer teaching Math at a local Anglican school the two older children attended. However, in 1967, a military coup led to a very bloody civil war in Nigeria. Arrangements were made for the women and children to evacuate the country causing Pat, and her children, to leave with minimal time to prepare. Their journey took them from Lagos, Nigeria to Beirut, Lebanon on June 5, 1967, which turned out to be the first day of the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War. Fortunately, the U.S. Embassy arranged a second evacuation for them in a 24-hour period, eventually landing them in Zurich, Switzerland. Being fed up with evacuations, she and a friend, who had been with her on the same journey with her two sons, decided to just stay in Switzerland while they awaited word on what was happening to Jack back in Nigeria. They rented the top floor of a home in the small village of Bonigen, Switzerland to “suffer” through an alpine summer. As the summer wound down, she decided to head to London as the next school year was about to start, not hearing anything more about Jack’s status.
After renting a flat in London, Jack showed up in London with his own stories of escape and adventure. The family spent two memorable years in London, embracing new experiences and cherishing their time together.
In 1969, they returned to New Orleans, where Pat focused on the children but being a certified Red Cross swimming instructor, dedicating summers to teaching swimming lessons.
In 1974, the family moved to Houston, Texas, where Pat and Jack would settle for good. Though they no longer moved, Pat’s love of travel never waned—over the course of her life, she visited about 60 countries across six continents. A passionate master gardener, she cultivated beautiful landscapes at their home and later volunteered at Mercer Arboretum, helping to tend its gardens.
Pat also had a deep commitment to service. After her children finished school, she trained as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and worked as a paramedic and ambulance driver for Cypress Creek Emergency Response Team for many years. She taught Basic Trauma Life Support and CPR until she retired from emergency response work in the late 1980s.
Pat was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Richard Wetzel, her daughter, Laura her grandson David, and son-in-law Bob Hildenbrand. She is survived by her devoted husband of nearly 70 years, Jack, her loving children Richard (Nancy) and Patty, her son-in-law Robert Crowe, her grandchildren Ryan (Tiffany), Andrew, and Ashlyn, as well as her great-grandson, Jack.
Pat life was one of adventure, kindness, and love. She faced challenges with remarkable strength and inspired those around her with her wisdom and warmth. Her legacy will continue to live on in the many lives she touched. She will be deeply missed but lovingly remembered.
