Minerva Howard

Minerva, known by her family as 'Mimi', was born on June 25,1931 in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, to Margaret Faith (nee Yager) and James Aaron Spalding.

Her formal education began in Webster School, a one-room schoolhouse in Ralls County, Missouri, and continued to Bowling Green High School. Mimi's friends and family will remember that as the school "whose science department consisted of a Bunsen burner and a stuffed owl."

She was graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in 1952. Her career in journalism and communications began with her first post as news editor of the Louisiana (Missouri) Press Journal. Over the following fifteen years, she worked as a feature writer for the Nacogdoches (Texas) Daily News, a radio show host on KSFD in Artesia, New Mexico, a copywriter for Hallmark Cards, where she also performed as 'Kaye King' demonstrating gift wrapping, and as a fashion copywriter for Macy's Department Store in downtown Kansas City. During her time at Macy's, she would cross paths with former President Harry Truman on his morning walks to the Muehlebach Hotel. "Good morning, Mr. President," she would say, and he would tip his hat to her.

Minerva began a second career as a journalism teacher at Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri, where she spent twenty-five years teaching English and guiding student journalists before retiring in 1996. The Hickman High School newspaper and yearbook were regular national award winners under her guidance, and the journalism room will be remembered by her students as a joy-filled and creative environment that helped spark many successful adult careers and lives. In 1983, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association at Columbia University honored her with its Gold Key Award for her contributions to scholastic journalism.

A talented writer, Minerva attended the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference in Middlebury, Vermont. She will be remembered fondly by her children and former students every time they silently correct someone's incorrect usage of 'less and fewer', the word 'raised' when applied to children or the proper past tense of 'hang'. (It's less water; fewer ducks.) She was a lifelong Democrat and member of the Muleskinners, a Boone County, Missouri Democratic Party club. An avid genealogist, she traced more than twenty five ancestors who fought for the American Revolution.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her twin sister, Mildred Spalding Smith.

Minerva is survived by three children: Anne Wagner (Steve) of Kansas City, Missouri; Austin Howard (Sue) of Chicago, Illinois; and James Howard of Sausalito, California; five grandchildren: Charles Wagner (Melissa), Andrew Wagner (Kathryn Cai), Benjamin Wagner (Samantha), Emilie Robbins-Wagner (Aidan) and Eli Howard; four great-grandchildren; and three nieces.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Norton Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 325, Center, Missouri 63436.