Minerva Anne Howe

A lifelong resident of Baton Rouge, Anne Grayson Howe passed away Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011. Born Dec. 13, 1920, she was the daughter of Wilmer M. and Annie Boyd Grayson, and eldest granddaughter of Thomas D. Boyd, who was president of LSU from 1896-1926. Anne spent much of her childhood on the old campus; she graduated from University High in 1937 and from LSU in 1941. She spent her junior year at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where she developed a great love for the Southwest. She claims to have been the first coed to wear blue jeans in public in Baton Rouge during the early 1940s. She was a faithful member of St. James Episcopal Church, having been baptized there in January 1921. She joined the Navy in 1943, completed basic training at Hunter College in New York, and was stationed in Coronado, Calif., until the war ended. Anne was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, past president of the local Kappa Alumni Association, and a recipient of its Outstanding Alumni Award. She held membership or held office in The Woman's Club, Philistoria, East Baton Rouge Parish Republican Women's Club, and the Junior League. In 1959, she was awarded the promotions prize for selling the most copies of the first edition of River Roads Recipes. Anne was a board member emeritus of Woman's Hospital and a devotee of the Republican Party, having worked in innumerable political campaigns. Anne is survived by four children, Anne Nelson, of Burke, Va., Jane Blackledge and husband Robert, Cynthia Murray and husband Tom, of Huntington, W.V., and the Rev. Ralph Howe Jr. and wife Suzette. Grandchildren who survive her are Kate Cordaro and husband Dave, of East Hampton, Mass., Amanda Lynch and husband Matthew, of Smyrna, Ga., Ryan Blackledge and wife Meghan, of Durham, N.C., Jennifer Porth and husband Brett, of Lexington, S.C., Melissa Gore and husband Brandon, of West Columbia, S.C., and Alyce Howe, Laura Grayson Howe, Joseph Howe and Jeanne Howe, all of Baton Rouge. She is also survived by three great-grandchildren, Caden Lynch, Trey Porth and Anne Blackledge. Additionally, Anne is survived by a sister, Betty Curet and husband Bernard, of New Roads; sisters-in-law, Miriam Grayson, of Dallas, and Dorothy Handwerk, of Springfield, Ill.; and a dear cousin, Robert Howell, of Washington, Ill. Anne was preceded in death by her parents, her devoted husband of 59 years, Ralph F. Howe; a sister, Marion Fuqua Grayson; a brother, Thomas Boyd Grayson; and close cousin, Jane Pitcher Bell. Anne was a supporter of "everything good" in life; she never, ever met a stranger and was a true lover of people. Visitation at St. James Episcopal Church on Thursday, Aug. 25, from 9 a.m. until funeral services at 11 a.m. Graveside services to follow at Roselawn Cemetery on North Street. Pallbearers will be Robert Blackledge, Ryan Blackledge, Grayson Curet, Brandon Gore, Joseph Howe and Brett Porth. Honorary pallbearers are Dave Cordaro, Bernard Curet, Bill Edrington, Richard Grayson, Robert Howell, Matthew Lynch, Tom Murray, Bill Penn and Michael Rolfsen. The family extends thanks to the staff at St. James Place for their kindness, care and friendships. Special thanks also to Tonya and Bea, and to Hospice of Baton Rouge. Memorial contributions may be given to St. James Episcopal Church, St. James Place Foundation, the Solomon Episcopal Conference Center, or Hospice of Baton Rouge. Anchors away, Mom!