M. Lisa Howard

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M. Lisa Howard, 57, of Washington, passed away at 11:20 p.m. Friday of cancer at Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes.

She had battled cancer for three years.

She was born Oct. 23, 1957, the daughter of Alpha L. and M. Sue (Waller) Beckett.

 She graduated from Barr-Reeve High School in 1975 and Vincennes University in 1994 with an associate’s degree in criminal justice with magna cum laude honors. She owned and operated the Grooming Clinic for 30 years. She was a state correctional officer for Wabash Valley Correctional Facility for 20 years. She was also a juvenile detention officer for Southwest Alternative Project for seven years and a CASA for four years. She was a driving force in getting the mine subsidence insurance laws enforced for Indiana homeowners and helped homeowners recover damages for their houses that were destroyed by abandoned underground mines. She was an avid pet lover.

She is survived by her father, Alpha L. Beckett of Washington; one brother, James (Chris) Beckett; a son and daughter-in-law, William Bryan and Jana McKown of Washington; a daughter, Rebecca McKown of Washington; granddaughters Aransas Pendley, Alyssa Jo McWhirter, Rianna Paige McWhirter and Kelsey Stanvonich; grandsons, Nicholas McKown and Sampson McKown. She is also survived by the love of her life, Monte Owens.

She is preceded in death by her mother, M. Sue Beckett; a brother, Clayton Beckett; and a grandson, Connor McKown-Hall.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Ed Lee Mortuary, with Rev. Yolanda Bostic officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Olive Cemetery.

Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.