Margaret Finette Howden, 89, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, May 23 while surrounded by family at Washington Hospital in Fremont.
Mrs. Howden was born in Arcata in 1922 to George and Annabel McCready and spent most of her childhood in Turlock. She graduated from Turlock High School in 1940 and went on to obtain a degree in education from California State University, San Jose.
Mrs. Howden taught at various schools in the East Bay Area, spanning a career of nearly 40 years. She was raised in a family that prized education as the daughter of Annabel McCready (Anderson) Bonander, the former principal of Johnson Joint Elementary School in rural Turlock.
She met her husband, James Theodore Howden, while they were both teaching at Irvington Elementary School in Fremont. They resided in Sunol when they first married in 1949 and moved in 1954 to a house in Fremont, where Mrs. Howden continued to live until her death.
Mrs. Howden loved her children, grandchildren, church family and her friends and neighbors and enjoyed spending time with them. She liked walking around Lake Elizabeth in Fremont during her younger years, and she enjoyed traveling, having visited Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Europe and many locations throughout the U.S. Known for her generous spirit yet frugal lifestyle, Mrs. Howden loved her 27-cent cup of coffee from McDonald's and her cup of oatmeal from Starbucks. She also enjoyed attending an annual Academy Awards party with friends. She maintained a penchant for California golden poppies throughout her life and continued to express an interest in her hometown of Turlock.
Mrs. Howden is preceded in death by her husband, James Howden; parents, George and Annabel; brother, George McCready; and her half brothers Homer, Orville and Ruben Anderson. She is survived by her daughter, Linda Koogle and her husband William of Tracy; her son, James Howden and his wife Martha of Livermore; her niece Maureen Rooney and her husband Charles of Sonoma; six grandchildren; and one great-niece.
A celebration of life and home-going service will begin at 1 p.m. Monday, May 28, at Irvington Presbyterian Church, 4181 Irvington Ave., in Fremont.

Turlock Journal,
Saturday, May26, 2012