Marilee Howell
Marilee Howell, a physical education faculty member at MU for 40 years, jogged four miles a day until she was about 80.
“She not only taught physical education, she lived it,” her daughter, Ann Eisenhardt, said.
Marjorie Meredith, a former student who went on to work in Marliee's department, said she was always willing to spend extra time advising students.
“She was a favorite teacher of just about every student, I think,” Meredith said. “She treated each one of them as an individual and never tried to hurry with them.”
Marliee died at her home on Thursday, July 8, 2010. She was 82.
She was born on July 31, 1927, in Joplin, to Hugh Frederick Marrs and Liddie Elsie Heisler Marrs.
She married Dillon Lee Howell on Sept. 2, 1948.
Mrs. Howell attended Joplin Junior College, The Ohio State University and Southwest Missouri State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She earned a Masters of Education from MU in 1956.
She coordinated the Undergraduate Professional Program in Physical Education at MU from 1974 until her retirement in 1992. She also coached and officiated swimming and tennis at MU, taught swimming at National Aquatic Schools, was a water safety instructor trainer and sponsored Mo-Maids Synchronized Swimming Club.
Her brother Wayne Marrs remembers bringing a ham to her and her husband, Dillon Lee Howell, in her early days at MU, when money was tight.
“Marilee told us, ‘We ate that ham right down to the ham bone,’” he said. “She struggled to get the education she wanted. We didn’t have loans in those days.”
She loved swimming, tennis and sunbathing. She spent her winters camping with her other “snowbird” friends at Sunshine Key in Florida.
Eisenhardt said she won a tennis tournament for people older than 40 when she was 80 years old.
"She was an inspiration to many," Eisenhardt said. "She was active and healthy. Everything had to be fat free or low fat."
Meredith said she had a ready smile for everyone and was ready to help anyone who needed it.
"I have people that call me all the time and tell me things she did for them, whether it was to drive them to the doctor or allow them to stay at her home when they were recovering," Eisenhardt said.
Marrs remembers Mrs. Howell's "mile-wide" smile and how her home was the fun place to be.
"It was always an event to go visit Marilee," he said. "It was almost like we were getting to go to some entertainment park or something. She was a great entertainer."
Mrs. Howell is survived by her daughter; two brothers, Wayne Marrs of Kansas City and Lavern Marrs of Monet; three grandchildren, Jay Eisenhardt of Chicago, Erin Amini of Memphis, Tenn., and Samantha Slater of San Diego; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Her husband and son, David Lee Howell, died earlier.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Parker Funeral Service at 22 N. Tenth St.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to any charity. Tributes may be posted online at parkerfuneralservice.com.
