Elsie Rae Foster Howard

Elsie Rae Foster Howard, 92, of Asheville, went home peacefully to be with the Lord on Monday, December 8, 2025, surrounded by family and friends.

Born August 24, 1933 in Buncombe Co., Elsie was a daughter of the late Hubert and Mamie Foster. She was also preceded in death by her beloved husband of 60 years of marriage, Eugene “Red” Howard, a daughter, Brenda Gail Mayhew, sisters, Esther, Margaret, Lucille, Della and Mildred, and brothers, Clifford and Junior.

Elsie was a member of Haywood Street United Methodist Church/Central Methodist Church for over 80 years. She loved God, her family, her church and church friends Bert and Donna Anderson, and Joe Connolly, who were dear to her heart, as well as her beloved animals, especially Sasha, Smoky and Nala, Baby and Wally, and of course Busy. She enjoyed listening to music, especially played by our father Red Howard, who was famous for playing the steel guitar, and also Elvis. She loved vacationing at Holden Beach with her beloved friends. Elsie was known for her love of sweet tea, with no ice!

Surviving are her daughters, Sherri Lynn Clark, Gwen Davis and Melody Freeman; grandchildren, Elizabeth Reece, Matthew Clark, Ashley McKinney, Adam and Justin Davis, Zaneta Knoll, Dwayne Justice and Jamie Gomez; great-grandchildren, Ariel and Gabriel Reece, Estrella Giacobbe, Cielo Gomez, Malik Justice and Kahlil Gomez, as well as Cora, Connor and Krista Knoll; and great-great grandchildren, Kailani Gomez and Carter Giacobbe.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 16 at 1:00 p.m. in the Patton Avenue chapel of Groce Funeral Home, with Mr. Tom Penland officiating. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, beginning at 12:00 p.m.