Mary (Belida) Howaniec

Mary (Belida) Howaniec, 97, of Methuen, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, April 20, 2020, with her loving family at her side.

The daughter of the late Leon and Paraska (Kurtia) Belida, Mary was born in Lawrence on July 3, 1922, and was educated in area schools.  For many years, she was employed as a Layout Operator at Western Electric, AT&T, in North Andover, from where she retired.  Mary was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America.  With her late husband, Henry, Mary was a devout and very active parishioner of the former Immaculate Conception Polish National Catholic Church of Lawrence, where both often worked in the kitchen for parish events.  Mary was a member of the Women’s Society of the Most Blessed Sacrament.  Henry and Mary often represented the parish at diocesan and national conventions.  She enjoyed cooking and canning peaches, pears and tomatoes from their garden.  Mary and Henry enjoyed making apple pies, stuffed cabbage, and pierogi.  An avid reader, she read two newspapers daily and many books.

Mary was part of a generation of Americans born in the 1920s, who came of age during the Great Depression.  During World War II, she volunteered locally in the Massachusetts Women’s Defense Corps.

Mary was the wife of the late Henry G. Howaniec, who passed away in June, 2015, and is survived by a son, Bernard Howaniec and his wife Lana of Methuen; a grandson, Sasha Pekar and his wife Katia and their children, Maksim and Kristina of Lynnfield, MA; a daughter and her husband, Sharon and Charles Amore of Salem, NH.  Mary was predeceased by her sister, Ann Belida of Methuen.

Due to the current COVID-19 national health emergency, Funeral Services will be private, with burial in the Polish National Catholic Cemetery, Methuen.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions  in Mary’s Memory to the American Cancer Society, in care of a local chapter.  For online condolences, please visit www.dewhirstboles funeral.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Dewhirst and Boles Funeral Home, 80 Broadway, Methuen, MA 01844.

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