Mrs. Mary Davis Howe Obituary

The funeral service of Mary Davis Howe, 87, of Albany, who died Thursday, September 1, 2011, at Willson Hospice House will be conducted Tuesday, September 6, 2011, at 2:00 PM at Byne Memorial Baptist Church. Visitation will be held at Byne an hour prior to the service. Private interment will follow at Sunset Cemetery in Meigs, GA. Dr Matthew Nance will officiate. Born in Albany on the 10th of December, 1923, Mrs. Howe was the daughter of the late Jerry Blaike Davis and Verona Jones Davis. She lived in Meigs, Georgia most of her early years. She graduated from Georgia State College for Women, now Valdosta State University, in 1943, and began work as a civilian employee at Finney Army Hospital in Thomasville, Georgia. She met her future husband, Ennis Foster Howe, Jr., at Finney. Mr. Howe had been assigned by the Army to debrief soldiers returning from overseas during WWII. They married in 1945, and after the war ended they lived in Florida and eventually settled in Albany, Georgia, where they reared their family. Mrs. Howe taught school for thirty-five years-thirty-three of them in the Dougherty County School system at McIntosh School. She was the McIntosh Teacher of the Year in 1989-90, the District School Teacher of the Year in 1990-1991, and Middle School Science Teacher of the Year in 1991 for District XI. She was the Georgia Power Science Teacher of the Year 1990-1991, District Winner. Mrs. Howe was a member of Byne Memorial Baptist church and attended the J.O.Y. Sunday School class. She was also a member of the Happy Hearts at Byne. She was active in the prison ministry at Byne for many years and taught Experiencing God both at the prisons and at the Anchorage. She was an active volunteer at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital for many years, and the employees who worked around the SICU always knew where to find the best cookies that she baked and brought from home. She also volunteered with Meals on Wheels. She was both a Brownie and a Girl Scout leader when her children were younger and taught Vacation Bible School at several churches over many years. She was an excellent musician, and she was the pianist for any event that needed music-both at church and in the community. She was a talented artist, an excellent seamstress, and a great cook. Mrs. Howe most enjoyed spending time with her family-especially her grandchildren. She remained close to them after they started families of their own and stayed in contact with almost daily phone calls when they were unable to visit. Second only to her family was her love of her animals. As a widow for over thirty years, she relied on the companionship of her animals, and they were devoted to her. Survivors include two daughters, Mary Howe Williams and Sarah Howe Phillips and her husband, John Temp, all of Albany; a son, Ennis F. Howe, III of Tallahassee, FL; seven grandchildren: Jerry Williams, Jay Williams, and his wife, Lorraine, Mia Yeager and her husband, Clay, Temp Phillips IV and his wife, Amy, Kirt Phillips and his wife, Mandy, Mary Jessica Howe and Arlyn Howe Parker and her husband, James; eight great grandchildren: Megan Williams, Molly Williams, Jackson Williams, Howe Yeager, Thomas Phillips, Emily Phillips, Tide Bulish and Elizza Moon; special neighbors: the Billy Mann family, the Randy Davis Family; caregivers: Bobbie Thompson, Brenda Musgrove, Gladys Jackson and Debra Gaines; and her dog, "Annie". Mrs. Howe was preceded in death by her husband, Ennis Foster Howe, Jr. and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Davis. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Byne Memorial Baptist Church, 2832 Ledo Rd, Albany, GA 31707, Albany Humane Society, 1705 Oakridge Dr, Albany, GA31707 or Albany Community Hospice, 2332 Lake Park Dr., Albany, GA 31707. You may sign the guestbook and share your thoughts with the family of Mrs. Howe by visiting Kimbrell-Stern's website at www.kimbrellstern.com

Mrs. Mary Davis Howe Obituary

December 10, 1923 - September 1, 2011