Listen Live
She was born in Stamford, N.Y., Sept. 18, 1931, daughter of the late Kenneth and Marion (Whipple) Mackay. She was raised in West Hartford, CT, where she attended local schools before attending high school at the Chaffee School in Windsor, CT, graduating with the Class of 1949. She went on to Skidmore College where she received her bachelor’s degree in 1953 and worked in the admission office the following year.
On Oct. 7, 1955, Jane married her love, Glover E. Howe Jr. Glover and Jane moved to The Loomis School campus in 1956 to begin their long and successful career in private school education and raise their family. Jane was fortunate to be able to stay at home with her four children while they were young. When they were school age, Jane began working as a librarian in the school’s Katharine Brush Library. Soon after, she transitioned to the admissions office. When girl boarders came to LCS, Jane took on the responsibilities of dorm head and dean of boarding girls. She retired from the school, along with her husband, in 1989 to begin the next phase of their impactful life in Marlborough.
Jane continued to be involved in her high school class as the class agent, coordinating events and reunions. She enjoyed her summers with family in Stamford and then at her own home in Jamaica, VT where she joined the ladies’ group. As they searched for the perfect retirement forever home, Jane and Glover discovered Marlborough. They quickly integrated themselves and became members of the Marlborough Federated Church.
Together, she and Glover enjoyed traveling to Scotland, Ireland, Alaska, Holland, and beyond. Later, when all the kids had families of their own, they enjoyed a four-day summer retreat with the entire family at Lake Morey for 18 years. Jane actively participated with the Frost Free Library, The Federated Church, the Evening United Ladies Group, and her local garden club. She enjoyed fishing, home gardening, knitting, sewing, and will be forever remembered for her homemade bread, jellies, jams, and pickles.
For the past several months, Jane has loved living at American House in Keene. She enjoyed participating in everything social and musical and loved and appreciated all the staff, nurses and administration.
Jane will be dearly missed by her children, Ken Howe and his wife Michele, of Thornton, NH; Bob Howe and his wife, Amanda of Deerfield, MA; Judy Gobbi and her husband, Patrick of Dover, NH; son-in-law, Murray Dewdney of Grantham, NH; grandchildren, Tyler Dewdney and his wife Emily, Morgan Dewdney, Mackey Howe, Lindsay Howe, Samantha Howe, Erin Howe, Camryn Howe, Kelly Howe, Dylan Gobbi and his wife Naomi, Izen, and Emily Topaz and her husband, Graham; great-grandchild Thea Dewdney, as well as several nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family members.
In addition to her parents and beloved husband of 55 years, Glover, she was predeceased by her daughter, Cynthia Howe; and siblings, Kenneth, F. Herbert and Robertson Howe.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 11 a.m. at the Marlborough Federated Church, 16 Pleasant St., Marlborough. A burial at the Meeting House Cemetery in Marlborough will be held privately with immediate family at a later date.
Memorial donations in Jane M. Howe’s name are suggested to be made to: Hilary Seifer Staff Fund at American House Keene, 197 Water Street, Keene, NH 03431, The Evening United Ladies Group of Marlborough, 16 Pleasant Street, Marlborough, NH 03455, or to Home Healthcare and Hospice, PO Box 564, Keene, NH 03431 (www.HCSServices.org).
The Fletcher Funeral Home of Keene has been entrusted with Jane’s care. To leave a memory or send the family condolences, visit www.fletcherfuneralhome.com.