Joanne Skillman Howard D.O, 96, Leawood, KS died November 21, 2020 at Westchester Place, Lenexa, KS. The rosary will be held Monday, November 30 at 6pm at Cure of Ars in Prairie Village, KS. A visitation will immediately follow. A Mass of Christian burial will be held Tuesday, December 1 at 11am at Cure of Ars in Prairie Village, KS. Burial to follow at Corinth Cemetery, Prairie Village, KS. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Kansas City Zoo or Cure of Ars.

Joanne was born June 3, 1924 in Kansas City, MO, the only child of Richard and Ruth (Bush) Sweeney. She attended schools in Kansas City, MO and Wichita, KS. She received her first BS from Wichita State College, then one from University of Missouri, Kansas City where she also received her Masters of Science in Education and Psychology. She earned her DO from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in 1962.

She married John Howard in July 1965. They worked together at public heath clinics as well as Lakeside Hospital until John’s retirement in 1985. Joanne served KCUMB as pediatric instructor from 1966 – 1969 and assistant instructor in pediatrics in 1970. She continued her service in public health clinics until she assumed the role of head of Department of Pediatrics at Lakeside Hospital until her retirement.

She was a member of Cure of Ars and Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Jackson County Osteopathic Medical Society, Missouri Osteopathic Society and the American Osteopathic Association. She was a docent at the Kansas City Zoo for 30 years, a member of the Friends of the Zoo and Friends of Arts at The Nelson Atkins Museum.

John and Joanne traveled the world together and had many adventures. She loved basset hounds and going to the zoo.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, John. She is survived by step daughter, Carol Winter, two step grandsons, Matt Winter and his wife Cindy of Leawood, KS, Jon R Winter, II, FL, and six step-great grandchildren. She is also survived by her friends who were like family, David, Jann, Zoe and Maxwell Moore, Kansas City, MO, Aaron Stevens, Des Moines, IA, Bill and Bettina Ghiselli, Prairie Village, KS.  Joanne will be missed by her family, many friends and the children for whom she cared throughout her career.

Thank you to Westchester Village and Ascend Hospice for taking such great care of Joanne.

The link to the Youtube Livestream

will be found at www.cureofars.com/funeral on the day of the funeral.