Martha Montgomery Howard

Martha Lou Montgomery Howard, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, died on Friday August 3, 2018, at home in the parsonage of Park Cities Baptist Church, which she designed and built in 1950. Adored by her four children, ten grandchildren, and eleven great grandchildren and literally thousands of Sunday School children from sixty-five years of teaching five-year-olds. Martha leaves a legacy of a life centered on family, home, and giving. At age ninety-nine, she was vibrant, productive, charming and still at home “at the rise of the hill”.

Martha was born in Paint Lick, Kentucky, on Easter Sunday, April 21, 1919, in the heart of the Bluegrass. Her parents were Elizabeth Bryant and Dr. Bradley Bennett Montgomery. Maternal grandparents were Martha Welch and John William Bryant, an early pioneer family from Virginia, whose ancestors founded Bryantsville, Kentucky. Paternal grandparents were Lucretia Martin and Dr. Woodson Clayton Montgomery, early settlers in Cartersville, Kentucky.

Martha married Herbert R. Howard, Jr. of Troy, Alabama, at The First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster, Kentucky, on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1941. Dr. Howard served as Senior Minister of Park Cities Baptist Church for twenty-eight years (1948-1976).

Martha graduated in 1937 from the Lancaster public schools as the “Most Outstanding Senior”, a member of the National Honor Society and the Starmes Literary Society. She entered Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, and graduated in 1941 with honors. Martha was the “Most Outstanding Senior in the School of Education", founder and President of the Association of Women Students, a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Who’s Who, Honor Council by the WCA Board, Pampas Women’s Honorary Society of Scholarship and Leadership, and a loyal member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. Martha was crowned “Miss Transylvania” of 1941.

Martha attended graduate school at The University of Kentucky in 1941. She taught twelfth grade at Lancaster High School 1941-1942 and was later employed by the Federal Land Bank of Louisville, while her husband completed his doctoral work at Southern Seminary also in Louisville.

Martha came to Dallas in 1948 with her husband to serve the original Park City Baptist Church, which was meeting in the Highland Park High School Administration Building on Lovers Lane. In 1950, the church moved to an empty city block on Northwest Highway and a parsonage was built for the Howards. Martha’s active ministry to Park Cities endured for seventy years. She taught Sunday School for over sixty-five years and was a vital, engaged member of everything at Park Cities and beyond. Her hospitality is renowned. Her wit is to be forever appreciated. Her labors of love will always be cherished.

Martha thrived as a help-mate and devoted wife of a minister, a dedicated mother who emphasized family and education and home, and she was also active in her world outside of these callings. Martha was President of the Ministers’ Wives of the Southern Baptist Convention, President of The Mentor Club of Dallas, Board Member of the Dallas Tri-Delta Alumni Charter Group, a member of the Garrard County, Dallas and Texas Historical Societies, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Mary K. Craig Class, and a Kentucky Colonel in good standing! Martha founded the Widows’ Supper Club of Dallas in 1999, one of her favorite ministries.

Martha will be forever loved by her children, Laura Bryant Howard Denham (Rev. W. E. Denham III) of Houston, Martha Elizabeth Howard Moore (Dr. Alan T. Moore) of Austin, Herbert Buchanan Howard (1954-2015) (Katharine Glover Howard) of Dallas, and Carolyn Montgomery Howard of Marshall, Texas. Martha will always be remembered by her grandchildren, William E. Denham IV (Elizabeth), Martha Elizabeth Denham Campbell (Whitney), James Howard Denham (LeeAnn), Martha Montgomery Moore Farrell (Scott), Bradley Alan Moore, Elizabeth Reagan Moore, Andrew Wells Howard (Anna), Clark Blakeman Stowe (Megan), William James Stowe (Rebekah), and Katharine Anne Stowe.

Her great-grandchildren will continue to hear her name. These are Russell James Denham, Elizabeth LeeAnn Denham, James Howard Denham, Jr., William Whitney Campbell, Bryant Buchanan Campbell, Martha Elizabeth Farrell, Beckett Scott Farrell, Montgomery Louise Farrell, David Andrew Howard, Kate Montgomery Howard, and Whitney Katharine Stowe. Martha adored the children of her only sister, Carolyn. They are Woodie Gordon Leavell, Betty Carol Leavell Jordan (Galen), and William Joseph Leavell (Lita).

Martha is preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Howard, and their only son, Herbert Buchanan Howard, her brother, Woodson Bryant Montgomery, and her sister, Carolyn Montgomery Leavell.

An evening vespers service in celebration of Martha’s life will be held at Park Cities Baptist Church on Sunday, August 12, at five o’clock in the afternoon.

Memorials may be made to The Park Cities Baptist Church Sanctuary Restoration Fund, 3933 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, 75225, The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Welborn, Dallas, 75219, or the charity of your choice.