March 26, 1952 – December 18, 2025
Denise C. Howard was called to be with our Heavenly Father on December 18, 2025. Born Denise C. Beatty in Chicago, IL, on March 26, 1952, to James Russell Beatty Sr. (deceased) and Mary Ethel Reed (deceased), she was the youngest of two with only one sibling, James Russell Beatty Jr. She married Nathaniel Howard in 1971 and recently celebrated 54 years of blissful marriage this past November. Nathaniel Howard was the love, joy and peace of Denise’s life. Denise shared three beautiful children with her dear husband: Antina Deon Howard, Nathaniel Reginal Howard (deceased) and Marcus Bryant Howard.
Denise accepted Christ at an early age. She and her husband were dedicated members of Pine Avenue Church on Chicago’s westside for 30+ years before their relocation to Atlanta, Georgia in 2018. She faithfully served the Lord and was deeply involved constantly in various church functions. In 2020, Denise and Nathaniel left Atlanta and relocated to Solivita, in Poinciana, Florida which she often referred to as her “last stop before Heaven”.
Meeting Denise not only guaranteed the pleasure of knowing one of the sweetest souls to walk this earth, but also guaranteed that if necessary, you would receive harsh but loving words of wisdom and blatant truth.
Denise attended grammar school at St. Agatha Catholic School and graduated from Providence St. Mel High School in Chicago. She then went on to join and be a proud and active member of the Black Panther Party in the 1960’s. Her professional career was quite diverse. Denise brought her accounting expertise to Evans Furs, a well-known historic Furrier that used to be located on State street in Chicago and also provided accounting services for the two family-owned Brooks Restaurants located on Chicago’s west side, where she also served as the restaurant manager. After some years, she went on to serve her community as Outreach Director at St. Vincent de Paul. She excelled at whatever role she was in and made lasting impressions on all she encountered. Denise possessed a strong passion for plants and they loved her back as evident by the thriving greenery displayed at the back of her home here in Solivita on her lanai. She was also a master Bid Whist player and played with a silent fervor and skill level that was seldom matched.
She will be remembered for her presence in the lives of those who knew and loved her. Denise’s life spanned more than seven decades, during which she touched many through her relationships, experiences, and quiet moments that mattered most. Denise is preceded in death by her beloved Mother-in-Law Ella B. Howard and dear friend/sister-in-law, Edwina Howard. Denise leaves to cherish her memories, her beloved husband, Nathaniel Howard; her children, Antina and Marcus Howard (Kanisha) of Atlanta, GA; brother, James R. Beatty Jr. (Earlene) of Omaha, NE; grandchildren Ashlen Howard, Ambriya Howard, Ariel Howard, Daryl Meeks, Davon Meeks and Dalanie Howard; nieces, Tiffany Beatty (Atlanta, GA), Tamika Beatty-Evans (Kenya) of Houston, TX; nephews, Russell Beatty, James Benjamin Beatty and Quinton Beatty of Omaha, NE; special friend Michiline Vosges; her Solivita Family as well as a host of great grandchildren, extended
