Houghton —- Dr. Irmgard “Irma” Keeler HOWARD, 83, of Houghton, NY, died peacefully at her home in Houghton on Saturday, December 21, 2024, under hospice care. She was the loving wife of 50 years to Dr. David Allyn Howard. She taught chemistry at Houghton College for 43 years.
Irmgard was born in Philadelphia, PA, on January 21, 1941, daughter of Johanne Abel and Clyde Keeler. She graduated from Baldwin High School in Milledgeville, GA, and Duke University, Durham, NC. She earned her doctorate from Duke University. She met her husband, David, through Intervarsity Christian Fellowship while they were both graduate students at Duke; she played the organ at Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church, and he sang in the choir.
As professor at Houghton College, Dr. Howard taught classes in nutrition, chemistry, biochemistry, and an introductory class for non-science majors called Impact: Science on Society. Her research fields included clinical chemistry, immunochemistry, molecular genetics, chemophobia, the history of chemistry, and nutrition. Irmgard advised hundreds of students pursuing careers in science and authored several papers in scientific journals. She wrote songs to help her students learn chemistry concepts.
Irma also took an active role in “Bump the Dump” protests against New York State’s plan to store radioactive waste on farmland in Allegany County. She traveled on behalf of the American Chemical Society giving lecture tours titled “People Are Chemicals, Too!” For more than 30 years she played organ at Grace United Church (formerly First Congregational), Wellsville, NY, where her husband David sang in the choir.
She is survived by four children: Deborah (Sergei), Bill (Deniz), Eleanor (Patrick) Henebury, and Stephen (April); eight grandchildren: Ekaterina, Alex, Andrew, Allison, Davyd, Clyde, Samuel, and Daniel; brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and nephew: Philip, Shirley, and Robert; and cousins: Ingeborg Falvey, Ulrich Abel, and Marianna Heil.
She was predeceased by her husband, David; her parents; a sister, Marjorie May; a nephew, Phil; and a cousin, Peter.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, December 28, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Grace United Church, 289 N. Main St., Wellsville. Burial will be in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peabody, MA.
Memorials if desired to the Howard Liberal Arts Scholarship at Houghton University, Houghton, NY, and Grace United Church, Wellsville, NY.
