Banners at New Orleans Seminary designed by late member of First Baptist Cairo

Cal Duke

Left to right, Cal and Patty Duke of St. Simons stand with Fran McCaskill, New Orleans Seminary president Chuck Kelley, and First Baptist Cairo pastor Ron McCaskill beside banners designed by Patty Duke’s sister, Denise Howell. Howell was a member of First Baptist Cairo who designed the banners before dying in 2005 from cancer.

NEW ORLEANS — Standing in the chapel at New Orleans Seminary March 4, Patty Duke couldn’t help but be proud of her baby sister.

She wasn’t there, though. Denise Howell had died more than two years earlier on Nov. 11, 2005. On this day Duke and others recognized the former member of First Baptist Cairo for her work in designing two banners – one stating “Providence” and the other “Prayer” – now displayed in the chapel.

The banners serve as visible reminders of the seminary’s being established as a “school of providence and prayer” in 1918.

“I felt complete joy and pride in her,” said Duke, who lives in St. Simons with her husband, Cal. “I had absolute peace that she had accomplished her goal and certainly felt God’s presence. It was one of the most special days of my life.”

First Baptist pastor Ron McCaskill, a former national alumni president of the seminary, approached Howell in the spring of 2005 about designing the banners. At about the same time Howell was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Nevertheless, she accepted the challenge.

During his 13 years as pastor of the church, McCaskill had witnessed Howell’s involvement in mission projects, GAs, children’s ministry, and youth ministry, not to mention her design efforts on three separate building projects.

“Having proven herself as an introspective contributor to the ministries of our church, I knew that Denise would birth an attractive design for our seminary,” he told the crowd March 4.

Hurricane Katrina delayed the completion of the project by more than two years. However, the banners were finally unveiled near the end of 2007 thanks to family members who funded the completion of the project.

A graduate of Atlanta College of Art and Design, Howell worked independently as an interior designer for several years around Cairo before going into the insurance business. From that point on she would continue to design on a part-time basis for friends and family.

“Growing up she was always drawing,” said Duke, whose daughter, Angela Denise Hendrixson, is named for Howell. Howell’s daughter and Duke share the same middle name, Lynn.

“She was president of the art club in high school,” said Duke of her sister. “Always had an affinity and eye for design and color. More than I did in that area,” she laughed.

Speaking to the crowd at the ceremony, McCaskill made a note of Howell’s legacy at a school she never attended.

“Denise was committed to making this world a better place through faith and in service to Jesus Christ,” he said. “Each time we worship in this holy place we will be forever reminded that our school is a ministry of Providence and Prayer.”