06/19/2023
Dawn Howard Kepner
November 8, 1967 – February 15, 2023
Dawn (or Dee) passed away after a 7-month illness at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, Florida. Born in Albany, GA to Jakie A. Howard of Pineville, KY and Gladys Elaine Keene of Richmond, KY.
At the age of 4, Dee’s Navy family, including older brothers Harvey N. Howard and Glenn A. Howard, resided in Alameda, CA while her father served on the USS Enterprise.
Upon transfer to NAS Whiting Field her family settled in Pace, FL where Dee completed her education.
Dee considered Pace, Florida, her childhood home. She was in cheerleading during middle school and in the Pace High School Band during high school. She graduated from Pace High School in 1985.
After high school, she attended Pensacola State College and studied Cosmetology. Upon completion, she continued her education at Von Lee International School of Esthetics in Baltimore, MD, completing the Certified Esthetics Program.
As an Esthetician, Dee worked for various day spas until opening her own business, Apropos Skin Therapies, in 1997 located in Roswell, Georgia. She found her calling helping women maintain their youthful appearance with healthy skin. Through the years, her business evolved, and she worked as an independent contractor, as Apropos, in Alpharetta, Georgia from 2008 to 2017. Her business relocated to Fort Collins, Colorado from 2017– 2018. Most recently, she worked with Enhanced Esthetics in Pace, Florida.
Dee met her soulmate and husband, Ray, in 1990 and they have been married for 29 years. Dee and Ray were the perfect couple and enjoyed growing their business, traveling, cooking, gardening, listening to music, and playing with their pets (Zuzu).
Everyone that knows Dee will agree, she lived life to the fullest and enjoyed every moment. She loved football from an early age when she watched the game with her dad and brothers. She loved being her mom’s best friend living back in Pace. She was always the life of the party hanging out with friends and could always make them laugh. What an adventure it was throughout her journey!
Dee is survived by her husband Raymond I. Kepner, Mother Gladys Elaine Morrow, brothers Harvey N. Howard, Glenn A. Howard, sister Meri Lynn and, her in-laws Philip R. Kepner, father & Roger S. Kepner, brother.
