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NORCROSS
Joyce Howington, 73, leader in business, city government

By KAY POWELL
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/11/07
Joyce Howington was determined to know the city of Norcross' business as well as she knew her family business.
She was vice president and secretary of Norcross Builders Inc. in 1996 when she was elected to the first of her three terms on the Norcross City Council. In no time, she was in city hall delving into everything about city services and departments, budgets and infrastructure.
"She just spent night and day here," said Mayor Lillian Webb of Norcross. "Her husband said he was going to get her a trailer and park it in the parking lot."
"She wanted to be knowledgeable," Mayor Webb said. "If somebody asked her a question, like why are we spending that money on a substation, she knew exactly why.
"She knew the electrical distribution system, about delivery to the end user — the homeowner — and the cost to the taxpayer. She was very responsive to citizenry."
The funeral for Joyce Blackstock Howington, 73, of Norcross is at 11 a.m. today at Norcross First Baptist Church. She died of pneumonia and congestive heart failure Sunday at Piedmont Hospital. Crowell Brothers Peachtree Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Accounting was Mrs. Howington's strong suit, Mayor Webb said, and she was admired for her frankness in council and out. "She wasn't gushy. She would say what she had to say right out and with candor, and I admire that.
"She would tell me to go home and change a suit if she didn't think what I was wearing looked good on me. She was always dressed perfectly for the occasion. I just felt like a hobo when I got around her."
Her husband, Carl Howington, credits her with his personal success and the success of the family business, said her son Stan Howington of Duluth.
"When she did something, she did it full blast, full bore," her son said. That went for shopping, too. "First and foremost, she loved to shop. She was a professional shopper."
She went into high gear at Christmas, said her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Howington of Duluth. Recuperating from a broken hip this winter, she commandeered family and friends to do her shopping so Christmas would be the same as always, her daughter-in-law said.
Mrs. Howington's civic and family life converged at Christmas when her 37-year-old son, Steve Howington of Norcross, who was born with Down syndrome, flipped the switch on a decorated magnolia tree in Thrasher Park, the town anchor.
Steve Howington works at Hilton Northeast hotel in Norcross and in 1994 was named employee of the year by Barrier Free Gwinnett.
"She spent countless hours with speech therapists and occupation counselors and at school with Steve," Stan Howington said. "He is what he is because of her."
Everybody wanted Mrs. Howington in their corner, her daughter-in-law said. "We always said if we were up against the wall, we wanted her on our side," she said. "She was a feisty fighter. She could take them all on."
Other survivors include a daughter, Susan Howington of Norcross; and a grandchild.