Geneva A. Howes, 93, of Howes Road, Moretown Common, passed away at the Squier House in Waterbury on Friday, August 10, 2012. Born in Waitsfield on March 25, 1919, she was the daughter of the late Lauren A. and Lizzie (Church) Poland. On August 26, 1942, she married Leo Howes in Waterbury. Leo predeceased Geneva on February 28, 2009.
Geneva graduated from Waitsfield High School in 1937, valedictorian of her class, and then continued her education at the Johnson Normal School where she received her teaching certificate. A longtime and well-known educator in the central Vermont region, Geneva taught in Moretown, Middlesex, Fayston, East Montpelier, Waterbury and Duxbury. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Vermont in 1976.
The Howes family is a multi-generational farming family on Moretown Common and Geneva assisted in the operation for many years. Following her retirement, Geneva stayed active as a volunteer for RSVP, at the Midstate Regional Library in Berlin and did clerical work for Blue Flame Gas in Barre during the time that they were converting the city from underground service to propane.
Geneva served the town of Moretown as library commissioner, school director and assistant town clerk. Her memberships included the Middlesex United Methodist Church, the Middlesex Grange and the Vermont Farm Bureau.
Geneva’s family lovingly remembers the joy she felt while spending time with her family, gardening, reading, traveling, doing crossword puzzles, making raspberry jam and bird watching. She was also very involved in doing extensive genealogy research.
Geneva is survived by her children, Flora Lyon and her husband Everett of Royalton, Roger Howes and his wife Paula of Norwich, Brian Howes and his wife Carol of Moretown and Duane Howes and his wife Sherry of Moretown; her foster son, Wendell Labor Jr. of Moretown; 8 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandson; as well as nieces, nephews and extended family. Geneva was predeceased by a grandson, David Lyon; two sisters, Florence Turner and Alice Tillotson; and two brothers, L. Andrew Poland and Willard Poland.
It was Geneva’s request that services be private. For those who wish, memorial contributions would be appreciated to the Mad River Valley Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 305, Waitsfield, VT 05673, or to the Moretown Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 491, Moretown, VT 05660. To send online condolences visit www.perkinsparker.com and Facebook. Assisting the family is the Perkins-Parker Funeral Home in Waterbury.
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