Amy M. Howard

Amy Marie Howard, 51, of Geneseo, passed away tragically in a house fire on Saturday, December 24, 2022, at her home.  Her loyal and brave dog Goose went back into the home to try to save her and will now always be by her side.  A memorial service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 29, 2022, at Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory – Geneseo Chapel.  A memorial visitation will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., prior to the memorial service.  Memorials may be directed to QC Paws, 4001 78th Avenue, Moline, IL, 61265, and a Go Fund Me account established in her honor at https://gofund.me/9ac34517.

Amy was born on May 25, 1971, the daughter of George and Penny (Holle) Dryden, in Clinton, Iowa.  She graduated from Camanche High School, class of 1989.  On January 23, 1999, Amy married Neal Howard at The Little Chapel of Flowers in Las Vegas, NV.  Amy recently found her calling as the Activity Director at Hillcrest Home – Geneseo. She was made for this role and Hillcrest Home will not be the same without her. Amy chose to call her residents “friends” and treated them like family. She absolutely cherished her time at Hillcrest.

Amy was a talented artist and photographer. She photographed many events, families and nature in and around Geneseo. She passionately supported her loving children Cole and Piper in every sport, theater production, musical or endeavor they participated in. Cole, Piper and Goose were Amy’s whole world.

Those left to cherish her memory include her mother, Penny Dryden of Camanche, IA; Neal Howard of Abingdon, IL; children, Piper and Cole Howard of Geneseo; sister, Mindy Dryden and nieces Skylar and Ruby Schulz, of Iowa City, IA; aunts and uncles, Diane (Bob) Purcell of Cottage Grove, MN, Julie (Lewis) Todtz of Des Moines, IA, Linda (Steve) Cunningham of Des Moines, IA, Mary Highstrom of Savanna, IL, and Brian Holle of Phoenix, AZ; several cousins; and many young adults and friends that called her mom.

She was preceded in death by her father, George P. Dryden; grandparents, George L. and Ellen Dryden; Isabel Hood and Frank Holle; and cousin, Ben Highstrom.