Violet Urania Hardtner Howell was born in Urania, Louisiana on October 31, 1907. She is the daughter of Henry Ernest Hardtner and Juliet Doerr. Mr. Hardtner, her father, was in the forestry business, and was know as the "father of Southern forestry."

Mrs. Howell attended Stephen College in Columbia, MO, and graduated from Sophie Newcomb in New Orleans. She married James D. Blake of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (later divorced), and had three sons: James H. Blake, William D. Blake, and Henry E. Blake.

On the death of her father, Mrs. Howell moved to Alexandria, Louisiana to take care of her younger sisters Juliet E. Hardtner and Henrietta E. Hardtner, as they were teenagers.

Through the years, Mrs. Howell has also been very active in the community, including the Calcasieu Parish Medical Society Alliance, the Junior League, Lake Charles Symphony, Lake Charles Ballet Society, Art Associates, and her church work at Church of the Good Shepherd, Episcopal Day School, and Camp Hardtner.

Mrs. Howell and her family have been longtime supporters of McNeese State University, and they have contributed over three million dollars to McNeese.