Alta Gene Howe, 93, of Shelbyville, formerly of Decatur, died at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 27, 2011 in Shelbyville Manor.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, March 31, 2011 in Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville with Pastor Rachel Ziese Hacker officiating. Visitation from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Thursday. Burial will be in Mt. Carmel Cemetery, near Shelbyville. Memorials may be given to Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3778 N. Water, Decatur, IL 62526.

Alta Gene was born on September 2, 1917 near Clarksburg, Illinois, the daughter of Denver W. and Emma Phillips Howe. She graduated from Shelbyville High School in the Class of 1936. In 1937, Alta Gene met Frances Louise Dare of Dareville, Illinois while both were working for Jacksonville State Hospital. From Jacksonville, they moved to Decatur, where they lived at 30 Ohio Drive for many years. Their neighbor’s children could always find a second home with Gene and Dare. Gene retired from Lincoln State Hospital after many years. She was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Decatur. In February 2006, they made their home in Shelbyville Manor. Dare died on September 22, 2009.

She is survived by several cousins and many friends.

Alta Gene was preceded in death by her good friend, Dare; brother, Mont G. Howe and his wife Harriett; and sister, Louise Kalopis and her husband Chris.

To know Gene was to love her humor and her laugh.

Send condolences to www.howeandyockey.com