Mary Watson Howarth, 94, formerly of Springfield, died Saturday, May 30 in Nashville, Tennessee. The wife of former Mayor Nelson Howarth, she served as first lady of Springfield for twelve years (1955-59, 1963-71), when the city made great advances in race relations, urban renewal, and modern planning. In addition to being a full-time mother, Mrs. Howarth was an officer of several community organizations in Springfield, a skilled social hostess, and a tireless political campaigner.
Born Mary Watson Prindiville on September 8, 1914, she was descended from Irish families who emigrated to Chicago in the 1840s and remained a proud fourth-generation Chicagoan to the end of her life. She graduated from Wheaton High School and attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, and business school in Chicago. After working in law and insurance offices, she married Nelson Howarth on March 2, 1935, in Chicago.
The Howarths moved permanently to Springfield in 1941, where Mrs. Howarth raised a family of five children, including three under the age of seven, during the years her husband served as a naval officer in the Pacific in World War II. After the war, two more children were born in Springfield, and beginning in 1950, Mrs. Howarth assisted her husband over the course of a 25-year political career and six mayoral campaigns.
When the Howarths retired from politics in 1975, Mrs. Howarth went back to work as a legal secretary in her husband’s law office until his retirement in 1989. Throughout their fifty-six year marriage, and in the 18 years since his death, she remained her family's foundation and inspiration.
In 2002 she moved to Nashville, where her vibrant spirit, sharp wit, practical wisdom, and personal strength drew to her many new friends. The Howarth family wishes to acknowledge the extraordinary caretakers and staff of The Health Center at Richland Place for their loving care of Mrs. Howarth in her final years and Alive Hospice for their kind assistance at her death.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William Aloysius Prindiville and Gertrude Mary Shepherd, and by two sisters, Ruth Prindiville Ahern and Susan Prindiville Bichl. She is survived by her five children, Susan Howarth Eastman of Alton; William Louis Howarth of Princeton, NJ; David Nelson Howarth of Cortez, CO; Lydia Howarth of Nashville, TN; and Jo Howarth Noonan of Atlanta, GA; also by thirteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held in Nashville in mid-June. Burial and a family service will be in August at Homewood Memorial Gardens, Homewood, IL. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Mary and Nelson Howarth Scholarship at the University of Illinois in Springfield.
8 comments:
Will and the rest of the family, we in Hamburg extend our sympathies.
Lee & Mark
Hi Will,
We are so sorry that you lost your Mom with whom you seemed very close. Unfortunately, we are all going through those times now and it certainly isn't easy. I remember your Mother standing by your Dad "Mayor Howarth" before I even knew you!!! At least you have tons of wonderfully happy memories to ponder for many years. Know that our prayers are with you at this time.
Sincerely,
Betsy (Mylroie) and Gene Yamasaki
Dear Will and family,
Sad to hear of your Mother's passing and both Bob and I wanted to extend our heartfelt sympathy.
Keep in mind that to be absent from this body...is to be present with the LORD.
May you find comfort in the book of Psalms and God's Promises.
Yvonne B.
No matter hat we did as kids, Mrs. Howarth always treated us with kindness and respect.
Champ Davis
Dick and I are saddened to hear of your mother's passing. You were very fortunate to have her in your lives and for so long. Our sympathies to you and your family.
Ann (Tobin) and Dick Hart
Your mother was such a lovely person. Despite limited contacts with her I was impressed by her wisdom and wit. I hope that your wonderful memories will comfort you during this sad time and in the future.
Mary Elberson
I can see where Will Howarth got
his good looks and romantic kind of
faith in the value of things as they are.
My deepest condolences,
Marty
Dear Will,
We extend our sincere condolences to you. We know you were quite proud of your mother, and rightly so. She obviously lived a memorable life, and the memory of her accomplishments will remain with future generations.
Sincerely,
Romolo and Harriett (Smith) Sidoli
Post a Comment