Francine Howard

January 26, 1937 - January 22, 2023

On January 22nd, 2023, Francine Kay Thomas Howard entered immortality. Francine Thomas was born to Howard Frank Thomas and Dorothy Mabry on January 26th, 1937 in Belgium, Illinois. She spent her formative years living under the loving care of her maternal grandmother, Laura Mabry. In 1946, at the age of nine, Francine had a whole new world opened up to her when her mother remarried to Romaine V. Streat. Upon her mother’s remarriage, the family relocated to San Francisco. A straight A student, she graduated from George Washington High School in 1954 and went on to pursue her degree from San Jose State and graduated in 1959. During her time at San Jose State, she pledged to the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She would later go on to earn an MPA degree from USF. Francine enjoyed a very rewarding career as a pediatric occupational therapist and worked in that field for 36 years

In 1961, Francine met and married Frederick Henry Howard Sr and they went on to have two children whom they loved very much: Hank and Doug, and they settled in El Cerrito, California. Francine embarked upon a fulfilling second career as an author in her 60s. She was a top finalist in the prestigious Maui Writers Conference and realized great success with her first big novel: Page from a Tennessee Journal. That book would go on to capture many accolades and spent numerous weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. She subsequently produced half a dozen other novels. A member of the California Writers Club, she served as a mentor to many aspiring authors and served on its board of directors.

To her survivors, her children Hank and Doug, grandchildren Andrew and Lila, daughter-in-law Lidia and many cherished nieces, nephews, and cousins, she has left a rich tapestry and inspiration that they all can draw on in the wake of her passing. Her life will forever be celebrated by them.