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Libretta Leombruno Howell, 96, a resident of Elkins, died Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Vandalia Health Davis Medical Center Emergency Department. She was born May 5, 1929, in Coalton, a daughter of the late Concezio and Agata Petrella Leombruno, who immigrated to the United States from Bagnaturo, Italy.
In September 1957, she married John D. Howell, who proceeded her in death. A graduate of Coalton High School, Libretta worked as a nurses' aid and then earned her RN degree from Davis Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and Davis & Elkins College with special training at Johns Hopkins University Hospital and a private psychiatric facility in Baltimore, Maryland. She fulfilled her true vocation in life of "once a nurse, always a nurse," working in the Emergency Department, Surgical Floor and Operating Room at both Memorial General Hospital and Davis Memorial Hospital and also by caring for friends and neighbors.
Libretta enjoyed gardening, scrapbooking, drawing and painting, poetry and making people laugh, often through her unique perspective of situations. She preserved her family's Italian heritage and traditions, especially those that centered around food. She was a member of St. Brendan Catholic Church.
Surviving are one daughter, Linda Howell Skidmore of Elkins; nieces and nephews Mike Leombruno and Oreste "Spike" Leombruno Jr. and wife, Connie, of Morgantown; James "Jimmy" Leombruno and wife, Kathy, of Elkins; Theresa Leombruno Turner and husband, Mike, of Sulmona, Italy; Janet Leombruno Silvers of Cortland, New York; sister in-law Wilma Leombruno of Elkins; great-nieces and nephews, Cortney Leombruno Sisler, Nicole Leombruno Bennetta, Anthony, Eve, Nicholas, Mikayla, Zachary and Griffen Leombruno, Ross Turner, Brian Silvers and Colleen Garcia. Also surviving are her cats, Francine and Annie; several great-nieces and great-nephews; and many friends she met during her career and others her daughter brought home for dinner and conversation.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was proceeded in death by two brothers, Eugene and Oreste Leombruno; one sister, Jeanette Leombruno Dumire; an infant sister, Gina Leombruno; son-in-law, Charles "Chongo" Skidmore; sister-in-law, Betty and Ann Leombruno; and brother-in-law, Gorman Dumire.
Friends will be received from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 7, 2026, at St. Brendan Catholic Church in Elkins.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Father Edward Tetteh, SVD, as Celebrant and the Rev. Raymond Godwin.
Interment will follow in St. Brendan Cemetery in Elkins.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Brendan Catholic Church, Rt. 4, Box 515, Elkins, WV 26241 in memory of Libretta Howell.
The Tomblyn Funeral Home of Elkins is in charge of the arrangements for Libretta Leombruno Howell.
Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.tomblynfuneralhome.com.