Lucy Lee Howard, an advocate for sobriety in the recovering alcoholism community, died of a coronary event Jan. 5. She was stricken at a Lutherville restaurant and taken to University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. The Guilford resident was 84.
Born in Baltimore and raised in Ruxton and Riderwood, she was adopted as a 6-day-old infant by John Eager and Amabel Lee Howard. During World War II she lived in Marietta, Georgia, while her father was on military assignment.
She attended Bryn Mawr School from kindergarten until her 1958 graduation. She studied at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and earned a bachelor’s degree at Towson University. She was also a student at the University of Maryland School of Social Work.
Ms. Howard went into medical research and worked at the University of Maryland’s downtown campus for many years.
When she was 65, using genealogical research tools, she located her birth brother, Allan “Rod” Raudenbush, and a niece, Leigh Ann Barrix.
In the 1970s, Ms. Howard acknowledged her alcoholism and went into recovery. She was also an advocate for others fighting addictions.
“Getting sober in 1976 was the most important event in my mother’s life,” said her daughter, Kimberly C. Perryclear. “Her sobriety was more important than her children. My mother often said, ‘Sobriety must come first because if it doesn’t, nothing comes second, and I love all those things that come second.’”
She remained sober until her death. For more than 30 years, she was involved with the Tuerk House, the West Baltimore recovery center for alcoholics and addicts.
Ms. Howard was dedicated to the efforts of the Ronald McDonald House and Make-A-Wish Foundation.
After living in Ruxton, she moved into Winthrop House, a Charles Street condominium. She was elected president of its board on three occasions and led weatherization and building maintenance campaigns.
“When we moved into Winthrop House, we met Lucy and became good friends. Lucy was so outgoing and very much an extrovert,” said a friend, Gene Miller. “She was bubbly and in a conversation, was very much involved. She was strong-willed and competitive. When playing cards, and losing, she could leave the table in a huff. Then, a few minutes later, you got an email saying she was sorry and saying we’ll play again.”
Mr. Miller said: “She was an excellent leader in our building. She worked closely with all the residents. She signed her emails, ‘Lucy Howard, Easy does it’ … She was alcohol-free for 30 years and was proud of that accomplishment.”
Jane Ann Simpson, a friend, said, “Lucy was magnetic. She was an upbeat person. People were drawn to her. She had a wonderful smile. She had a huge network of friends.”
Survivors include her daughter, Kim Perryclear, of Annapolis, and a son, William “Bill” Perryclear, of Lexington, North Carolina. She raised three stepchildren, Karina Monroe, Leo Villafana and Rosa Harper. Her marriages ended in divorce.
A memorial service will be held in the spring.
Have a news tip? Contact Jacques Kelly at jacques.kelly@baltsun.com and 410-332-6570.