Deborah Howard

Deborah Sue Tennyson Howard, age 62, of Tuscaloosa, died May 1, 2017, at Hospice of West Alabama. A memorial service will be 7 p.m. Friday, May 5, 2017, at Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home South with Rev. Jonathan Ivy & Rev. Dr. Robb Small officiating and Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home South directing. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. She was preceded in death by her mother, Rose Tennyson. Survivors include her husband, Chaplain Ron Howard of Tuscaloosa Ala.; daughter, Melissa Grantham (Eric) of Northport Ala.; son, Jonathan Howard of Tuscaloosa Ala.; father, Raymond Tennyson of Adamsville, Ala.; sister, Judy Greening of Beerwah, Queensland, Australia; brother, Ray Tennyson, Jr. of Hueytown, Ala.; and grandchildren, J. R. and Alex Howard of Midwest City, Okla. and Carson and Lilly Grantham of Northport, Ala. Deb Howard was a native of Midfield, Ala. and graduated from Midfield High School in 1974. She met the love of her life, Ron, when he and his best friend came from Samford University to led worship on an "H Day." He fell in love with her at first sight as she played the piano. They married in 1975, and she supported him through college, seminary, and in his clinical residency as a hospital Chaplain. She also gladly took on the brave role of a Navy wife for 26 years. Together they raised two wonderful children, who were her proudest achievement, short of the grandchildren that followed. Before her illness, she was an active member of the Tuscaloosa Community, volunteering at schools, churches, and as a Girl Scout Leader. She was ordained as a Deacon at Woodland Forrest Baptist Church. She ran a house where all the neighborhood children felt welcome and loved. Her legacy will forever be her kindness, love to her family, her love for people everywhere, and her unwavering Faith, even through her long battle with liver disease. Her smile and laughter will live forever. Honorary pallbearers are Drs. Keith DeBell, Brendan McGuire, Sudha Kodali, and Mohamed Shoreibah; Michelle Cagle, and the entire UAB liver transplant team; staff of UAB GISO & DCH RMC 4SE & 6N; Pastoral Care staff of DCH and UAB. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to either Hospice of West AL or DCH Foundation Pettus Randall Pastoral Care Fund.