Obituary: Alice ‘Vonnie’ Shell Howard, 83, Ludington.

Obituary: Alice ‘Vonnie’ Shell Howard, 83, Ludington.

Alice “Vonnie” Shell Howard, 83, of Ludington, passed away May 5, 2020 at home surrounded by family.

She was born February 15, 1937 in Ludington to Paul and Alice (Thorington) Lange. Vonnie lived all her life in Ludington and graduated from Ludington High School in 1955. After graduating from high school, she married the late William Shell and raised two children, William Shell and Amy (Shell) Decker.

After raising her children, Vonnie worked several years in the elementary schools as an aide.

To her family and extended family, Vonnie was a nurturing, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and aunt. Vonnie will always be remembered by all who knew her for her baking. She always had fresh cookies, fudge, cakes, or pies on hand for whoever stopped by her house.

After retirement she spent winters in Mission, Texas, where she met her soulmate, Dale Howard, whom she married on January 12, 2004.

Vonnie is survived by her husband of 16 years; her daughter, Amy (Richard) Decker of Ludington; her son, William Shell of Ludington; her brother, Dennis Lange of Ludington; her sister, Sharon (Michael) VendenHeuvel of Spring Lake; her grandchildren, Corey, Ryan, and Kelsey Decker, and Dustin Shell;  her stepchildren, Jodi (Robert) Studt of Ashley, Sheri (Terry) Beck of Ashley, and Paul (Katherine) Howard of Houston, Texas, and her step grandchildren and step great grandchildren.

Besides her parents, Vonnie was preceded in death by her first husband, William Shell; two sisters, Donna (Jack) Thomas and Sandra (Charles) Nelson; and sister-in-law, Laura Lange.

Vonnie was a lifetime believer in God and the life hereafter and belonged to St. John’s Lutheran Church.

A private family memorial will be held at Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington.

A special thanks to Dr. Gadzinski and Home Health Care Nurse, Kathy Watki.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Oak Grove Funeral Home of Ludington, www.oakgroveludington.com.