Edith Duke Howell, 72, of 6635 Cumberland Lane, Suffolk, died Dec. 6, 2003, in Obici Memorial Hospital.

She was a native of Nansemond County and daughter of the late Clifton Boone and Hattie Boone and was reared in the home of the late Ayler and Edith Faulk. She was the widow of Roosevelt Howell.

She was retired from the housekeeping department at Obici Hospital. She was a member of Zion United Church of Christ and the Women’s Fellowship and Gospel Choir. She was also chairwoman of the Deaconess Board.

She is survived by three sons, Ronald Duke (Gloria Harvey) of Suffolk, Clifton Howell (Linda P.) of Norfolk, and Kevin Blanchard of Portsmouth; two daughters, Charlene D. Scott (Elder Calvin) of Franklin and Darlene D. Skeeter (Fritz) of Suffolk; a goddaughter, Valeria Johnson; two sisters, Elizabeth Johnson and Savannah Mourning of Norfolk; one brother, Robert Duke of New York; two foster brothers, the Rev. Joseph J. Ferguson of Suffolk and Raymond Cotton of Silver Spring, Md.; 13 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Zion United Church of Christ by the Rev. Ronnie Hall. Interment will be in the church cemetery. A Wake Service will be held from 7-8 p.m. Tuesday in Crocker Funeral Home.