Alexandria, VA – Beverly “Bev” Howells, a resident of Goodwin House Alexandria since August 2020, died peacefully on May 23, 2026.
Born August 31, 1934, in Hamlin, Pennsylvania, Bev was the only child of Carl and Lenore Patterson. She grew up in nearby Lake Ariel, where her parents owned the town’s only grocery store. A gifted student, she graduated as valedictorian of her high school class. After a year at Wilkes College, she transferred to Penn State University to study medical technology.
At Penn State, she met the love of her life, John “Jack” Howells; their laboratory lockers happened to be side by side. They were married for 45 years and made their home in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, where Jack began his career with Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals in Detroit. In 1980, they moved to Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, when Jack joined Astra Pharmaceuticals. Despite Jack’s long and successful career in the pharmaceutical industry, Bev’s independent spirit showed in her proud insistence that she took no prescription drugs and had no intention of starting.
In 1999, she moved to South Hadley to be closer to family while caring devotedly for Jack during his battle with Alzheimer’s disease which led to his death in 2001.
Years later, she met Joe LeCours, who brought love and happiness back into her life. After a debilitating stroke in 2012 left Joe unable to speak and physically disabled, Bev cared for him with devotion for seven years, until his death in 2019.
Though Bev did not pursue a full-time career, she devoted her talents and generous heart to her family and community. She volunteered at her church, was active in her children’s schools, and taught at SeniorNet in South Hadley, where she loved helping older adults learn to use computers.
Her love of decorating her home with paint and wallpaper also led to a part-time job at a local paint and wallpaper store in Grosse Pointe Woods, which she shared with her best friend.
A lifelong bridge player, she also enjoyed bowling, golf, and water aerobics, and she cherished sunny days fishing for pike with Jack in northern Michigan.
She was also an avid-and flexible-sports fan whose loyalties often followed her zip code.
She cheered for the Detroit Tigers, later embraced the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots in Massachusetts, and after moving to Northern Virginia in 2020, added the Washington Commanders to her roster.
She was also a devoted cat lover and shared her home with at least one feline friend for most of her life.
Above all, Bev was defined by her love for family. She was a steadfast caregiver, and nothing brought her more joy than gathering loved ones around the dinner table. When family came together, she was often in the kitchen baking cinnamon rolls, butterscotch pie, snickerdoodles, molasses cookies, and other favorites.
Bev is survived by her children, Philip Howells (Karen) and Susan Dolton (David); five grandchildren, Kyle Moore (Becca), Meghan Moore, Samantha Soulas (Rick), Benjamin Howells (Cait), and Mark Howells (Tu’ziah); and five great-grandchildren, Izzie Soulas, William Soulas, Rowan Moore, Callan Moore, and Mahalia Hall-Howells.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at Goodwin House Alexandria, 4800 Fillmore Ave., Alexandria, VA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dakin Humane Society, Springfield, MA, Dakinhumane.org/tribute-donation.
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