Teresa Williams Howard, born June 21, 1957 in Portsmouth, Virginia to the late Alonzo Williams and Gloria Marion Daughtry, was a woman of faith, grace, creativity, and quiet strength.

She accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age and lived her faith through a generous, loving, kind, and forgiving spirit. Her life was grounded in her devotion to God and family.

Educated in the Portsmouth Public School System, Teresa attended Woodrow Wilson High School, where she was a standout cheerleader and track & field athlete, and voted best dressed & best all-around. Her many achievements reflected courage, confidence, and determination during a pivotal time of school integration.

Teresa earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fashion Design from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1980. While at VCU, she received several honors, including the School of the Arts Leadership Award and first place in the Miller & Rhoads Sheet Show Design Competition. It was also at VCU that she met her life partner and business collaborator, Joel Geronimo Howard.

In addition to her passion for art and fashion, Teresa excelled in the corporate world, holding administrative positions with Chemical Bank in New York and the U.S. Military Personnel Center in Alexandria, Virginia.

Along with her husband Joel, she also shared her creative gifts through various business ventures including Intrinsic Enterprises (clothing design & fashion show production), Strategic Concepts (decorative light switch covers), and Accessories by The Passage (jewelry & handbag designs).

Teresa leaves to cherish her memory: her beloved husband Joel, sister, Gloria Lovett (Ronald), brother, Ronnie Williams (Deborah), uncle, Robert Williams, sister-in-law, Jawea Denise Howard and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A memorial service will be held 12 Noon, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Gillfield Baptist Church, 209 Perry Street, Petersburg, VA, the Rev. Dr. George W.C. Lyons, Jr., Pastor and eulogist.

J. M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc., 102 South Avenue, Petersburg, VA, (804) 732-8911, www.jmwilkersonsince1874.com. Watch the funeral services live online on our J. M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc. Facebook page or click here to view: https://vimeo.com/event/6007750?fl=so&fe=fs