Pamela Kay (Noaecker) Howard, 80, passed away Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Lewiston. Pam and her twin, Patricia, Trish, were born on Dec. 9, 1944, to Wes and Maxine (Hintz) Noaecker in Denver. Pam also had a younger sister, Nancy. The Noaecker girls were forever a threesome.
Pam graduated as salutatorian from Fairview High School in Boulder, Colo., in 1962. She attended the University of Colorado earning a Bachelor’s Degree and then continued her education at the University of Denver earning her Masters in Library Science.
Pam was a very sweet little girl, and even at a young age was a hard worker. Pam would push the buggy; Trish would ride. Trish would make a mess; Pam would clean it up. Pam did these things not because it was expected of her but because that was who she was.
Pam was an easy child, and she always loved to read. Give her a book and she was a happy child. As the years went by, her love of books turned into her love of libraries, and everything about them. Her career was all about libraries. While living in Boulder, she worked for some notable ones, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Library and the Norlan Library on the CU Campus. But Pam’s legacy can be found in the small, but deeply loved libraries of the Idaho panhandle.
In the early 1970s, Pam eloped with Alva Howard, an aeronautical engineer, and the two of them made their home in Oklahoma City. In 1979, Pam and Al moved from Oklahoma City to Culdesac where Al’s children (and grandchildren) and Pam’s sister, Nancy were living. In 1998, Pam and Al sold their little farm above Culdesac and moved to Lewiston. They shared a quiet life until Al’s passing in 2002.
Pam loved Idaho. And it was there she found her all-time favorite library job. It was certainly not the most daunting job of her career, but the one where she had the most fun. The small town of Culdesac (pop. 200 at that time) had their own tiny library, but needed a librarian to run things. Pam snapped up the job, even though the county director said she was overqualified for it. Pam didn’t care and she wasn’t deterred by the fact the library was in a former beauty salon with butterfly wallpaper. She worked tirelessly to organize and grow the collection. The Culdesac Library was her library. She loved it when the school kids came on their weekly visits so she could teach them about books, and introduce them to favorite new authors. Pam cared for the adults of Culdesac as well. She remembered who each of their favorite authors were, and which of their books the patron had already read. She always said she knew every person in town, adult and child, by running the little Culdesac Library. Never was anything more correctly called a “labor of love.”
When Ed Linkhart, the director of the county library system, retired, Pam replaced him as county director for several years before her own retirement. Even after her retirement, Pam continued to work part-time and volunteer in libraries. The library was an extension of her and embodied everything she stood for.
Pam’s other love in her life was her dogs. It seems she always had at least one dog, usually more, and most were rescues. She believed her dogs rescued her and not the other way around. Pam was creative naming her dogs too. Her most recent companions were Dempsey the Dumpster Dog, named for the dumpster she found her by, and Lollipup. She was totally devoted to each and every one of them and perhaps spoiled them rotten. She wanted to give them a good, loving home where they could spend the rest of their days doing whatever they wanted, and knowing they were loved by the woman who fed them (lavishly) all the time. It seemed to suit them all quite well.
Pam’s kindness, quiet ways and sense of humor were what drew people to her. She always had a clean and very warm and gracious home where friends and family were welcome. Most of all, Pam had a sharp wit. One time, Pam was riding in Nancy’s car and she noticed a plastic snake hanging from the visor. Pam, without hesitation, quipped, “Every car needs a windshield viper!!” Double entendres and word play were normal fare for Pam.
Pam was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her stepdaughter, Midge Isakson. She is survived by her sisters, Trish Young, of Brighton, Colo., and Nancy Taylor of Lewiston; grandchildren Vincent (Karen) Isakson, of Kansas; TK (Jay) Menesale, of Massachusetts; niece Kelly (Gerald) Graybill, of Colorado; nephew Charles Brett Bartholomew, of Colorado; great-grandchildren, Ted, Nate, and Tessa Menesale, of Massachusetts; great-nephew George Graybill, of Colorado. She is also survived by her dear friends, Dave, Kim, Landon, Rayn, and Elle Sutherland, of Moscow.
Pam requested no services. Her cremains will be buried at Sunnyside Cemetery above Lenore.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the donor’s local public library or the Lewis Clark Animal Shelter.
