Heather Marie Howiler was born on October 2nd, 1972 in Auburn, Indiana to Jeanne and Terry Howiler. She attended public school in Garrett, Indiana and graduated from Garrett High School in 1991. She continued her education at Ball State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1995.
Heather moved to the Naperville area shortly after having graduated from Ball State. She furthered her education by earning her Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Aurora University in 2002. She also earned a Certificate of Technology Instruction from the University of Saint Francis in 2018.
Heather was a passionate and beloved educator, having spent 24 years teaching in the Indian Prairie School District (District 204). She taught 3rd and 5th grades at Kendall Elementary, Builta Elementary, Wheatland Elementary, and most recently she taught Project Arrow (Gifted and Talented) at Peterson Elementary.
Heather was an avid traveler and always up for an adventure. She traveled to Nicaragua, Mexico, Canada, many of the 50 states, and extensively in Europe–having visited most of that continent. She participated in short-term missions trips to Latvia, Albania, and the Czech Republic. She provided a warm and welcoming presence to whatever ministry she touched, and she strengthened and impacted the hearts of those with whom she interacted.
She was a fiercely dedicated friend to those with whom she surrounded herself. She had a large friend network, and she had a unique way of making each of those friends feel like she was their best friend. Sadly, her life was cut short by a terminal diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma. After a 2.5-year battle, she lost her life.
Once long ago, Heather Howiler told a roommate that one of her favorite words was indelible. The definition of indelible means to not be able to be forgotten, removed, or erased. It seems like a perfect descriptor for Heather. In her memory, we want to honor students who embody characteristics similar to those she embodied. In doing so, we help keep her from being forgotten.
The Heather M. Howiler Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund is open to current graduating high school seniors in Indian Prairie School District 204. Students must earn a high school GPA of 3.0 and plan to attend a four-year college or university. If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, please click here to learn more.