Martha Lou HOWARD

Dr Herbert Roscoe
July 20, 1917 - Dec 31, 1985

Martha Lou
Apr 21, 1919 - Aug 3, 2019

Section: Companion Garden II

*Obituary

The Rev. Herbert R. Howard, 68, pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church for 29 years, died Tuesday following a massive heart attack.

After resigning his position in 1977, he was a counselor for the Masters and Johnson Institute, a sex research center in St. Louis. Later he returned to Dallas to establish a marriage counseling service, and he continued to teach a men's class at the Park Cities church.

He taught last Sunday, "the best I ever heard him,' said Cecil Smith, a deacon at the church.

Howard was a pioneer Baptist in interfaith, interracial and ecumenical movements in Dallas, and he was an early supporter of programs for the poor.

In 1969, he told a United Fund clergy luncheon that the poor are "shamelessly exploited' in urban areas where the largest churches stand and where the most prominent leaders in religion live.

"Prejudice and social inertia exist here because spiritual and moral leadership of this community have not pointed the way to overcome them,' he said.

At a time when Southern Baptists generally opposed participating in ministries with other Christian churches, Howard was one of a small group of Christians who established the Greater Dallas Community of Churches.

"Herb was open to the whole mission of the church,' said the Rev. Louis Saunders, the organization's executive director for many years. "He supported an inclusive council, with no restrictions, no barriers. He was uncomfortable with a restrictive atmosphere. He was an outstanding leader.'

Born in Troy, Ala., Howard earned his undergraduate degree from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., and the Th.M. and Th.D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He was senior minister at Immanuel Baptist Church in Tulsa until he arrived in Dallas in 1948.

The Park Cities church was a small building on Lovers Lane with a congregation of 1,000 members. Howard built the massive red brick church complex with the landmark steeple-clock located on Northwest Highway near Preston Road. By the time he retired, the congregation had grown to more than 5,000 members.

Howard was chairman of the board of trustees of Bishop College for several years. He was also an officer in many Southern Baptist boards and commissions.

He was a 32nd degree member of Scottish Rite, Hella Temple Shrine. He also served as president of the Park Cities Kiwanis Club and was on the advisory council of the Park Cities YMCA, the United Way and the Dallas County Community Action committee.

He is survived by his wife, Martha; three daughters, Mrs. Laura Denham of Beaumont, Mrs. Martha Moore of Birmingham, Ala., and Ms. Carolyn Howard of Dallas; a son, Herbert of Dallas; a sister, Mrs. John Lake of Waco; two brothers, Dr. Edwin Howard of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Ralph Howard of Atlanta; and six grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Sparkman - Hillcrest on Northwest Highway.

Published in the Dallas Morning News on 01-01-1986

*Obituary

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 of Houston, Martha of Austin, Herbert Buchanan Howard (1954-2015) and Carolyn Marshall. Martha will always be remembered by her ten grandchildren and her eleven great-grandchildren will continue to hear her name. Martha adored the children of her only sister, Carolyn.

Martha is preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Howard, and their only son, Herbert Buchanan Howard, by 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.

Editted from obituary published in The Dallas Morning News from Aug. 10 to Aug. 12, 2018

Photo courtesy of Annette Shaw

Contributed on 1/24/21 by hawkinsdonna48
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