Howsare, Mary M.

Mary M. Howsare, 74, died Sunday, Jan. 6, 2012, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, at the Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Branch.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or Tipton Friends of the Animals.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.hendersonbarkerfuneralhome.com.

Mary was born Aug. 31, 1938, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, the daughter of Lowell and Sue Orcutt Wirene. She was a graduate of Crawfordsville High School in 1956 and later attended Beauty School. On Jan. 5, 1962, she was united in marriage to Lawrence Howsare in Iowa City, they just celebrated 51 years of marriage on Saturday.

She had been employed with the University of Iowa; working for many years in the Department of Surgery and retiring from the Physical Plant.

She had raised and rode horses, in her younger years played basketball, fast pitch softball and was instrumental in starting the youth girls softball league in Iowa City. She was very artistic painting birds on leaves, made wreaths and drawing. Her family remembers her as a good wife, loving mother and best friend.

Survivors include her husband, Lawrence Howsare of Solon; four children, Chris (Kelley) Kascel of Marion, Stephen (Lisa Dvorak) Howsare of Solon, Shelly Ann (James Provine) Howsare of Solon and Thomas John (Kristi) Howsare of Solon; grandchildren, Daniel, Katie and Brooklynn Kascel, Jacob (Danielle) Howsare, Jessica (Michael) Decker, Jeremey, Stephanie, Diana and Grace Howsare and Jalen and Jaxson Howsare; two great-grandchildren, Isabelle and Jack Howsare; sister, Judy (Don) McConnel of Tiffin; and special friend, Frances Chapman of Bagdad, Ky.

Also surviving are her two dogs, Niner and Sophie.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Published in The Gazette Jan. 8, 2013.