Janet Howard

Janet Denise Howard, was born June 13th, 1953 to Rufus Lee Young Sr. and Nellie Mae Bules at Mercy Hospital in Benton Harbor Michigan. She was the youngest of 8 children. She grew up surrounded by her brothers Rufus Jr., Curtis, Charles, Herman and Wallace, and her sisters, Dorothy and Marie. As a child, Janet was feisty, mischievous, adventurous, and friendly. She loved learning boxing moves from her brother Rufus or getting into mischief with her brother Wallace, who she fondly called her twin.  

Janet earned her Associate Degree in Applied Business from Lake Michigan College in 1979. During that time, she pledged Delta Psi Phi on the junior level. She then dual enrolled in Mundelein College in Chicago, Illinois and at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, MI. Her goal was to complete her Bachelor's degree in half the time. She did all this while balancing full-time employment. Janet graduated with her Bachelor of Science Degree from Central Michigan University after deciding to finish there.  In 1981, she married Larry Howard and from that union came one child, Carenda Howard. 

At 19, Janet was recruited by IBM's management team in Colorado. After deciding that wasn't a good fit, she returned home, and became a teacher's assistant for the Benton Harbor school system in 1977. She began her career at Whirlpool on the assembly line. After much dedication and hard work Janet earned multiple promotions. She became an Operations Manager at the Customer Interactions Center, a position she held for 14 years.

Finally, Janet was promoted to the Executive Team. As an Executive Consultant, she was responsible for assisting the CEO with product related issues and concerns.  Impressively, she retired at the age of 55. 

After retirement, Janet spent time as a board member of B.E. Y.O.U, a nonprofit organization program focusing on the youth of Benton Harbor. Janet was also an entrepreneur.  In 1981 she purchased her first home marking the beginning of J&C Property Rentals, which she grew until she took ill. In 1987, she purchased LJ's laundromat on Pipestone. In 1998, she started a trucking company called Cy Transportation.  Her final endeavor was to begin an afterschool program. She was actively seeking funding and looking for property to purchase. It was to include a computer lab, mentorship programs, and activities geared towards ensuring a brighter future for the children of this community. 

Anything Janet did she was passionate about. She loved deeply and helped many. She was admired for her humor, intelligence, and kind heart. Her strut commanded attention and her smile lit up the room. Janet loved to dance, sing, have fun, and get things done. She had a deep bond with her daughter, they were best friends, so when her granddaughter was born, her world changed, and they were inseparable. Janet's last years were spent pouring into Jaia and teaching her. They were kindred spirits and their bond is unbreakable, because they too were best friends.  For all of those she's left behind, remember what Janet would always say, "Just be happy, do what's best for you."

Those left to cherish her memory include her daughter, Carenda Denise Howard, granddaughter Jaia Denise Howard of Benton Harbor, her sister Marie Silby of Windsor, Co., her brother, Curtis L. Young of Stone Mountain GA. Brothers, Rufus (Patricia) Young Jr and Charles L.Young of Benton Harbor, and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives, and many friends. 

She is preceded in death by her mother, Nellie Mae Buels, father, Rufus Young, Sr., brothers Herman L. Young, Wallace T. Young, and her sister Dorothy Young.

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