Margery Louise Ryder Howes, a summer resident of Vineyard Haven, died on Sunday, May 21 in her home in New Canaan, Conn. She was 84.

She was born in Stamford, Conn., the daughter of Harrison and Louise Ryder. She graduated from Northfield School for Girls (now known as Northfield Mt. Hermon) and then attended the University of Connecticut, ultimately earning her bachelor’s degree in early childhood development. She was also an active member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority, and remained an active alumna. It is at UConn that she met her husband, Paul R. Howes, and they were married on April 24, 1954. They celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary this past April.

Margery enjoyed life to the fullest, spending summers on Martha’s Vineyard, watching UConn women’s basketball, and spending as much time as possible with her family, whether it was traveling to Arizona, New Jersey, or Spain.

She is survived by her husband, Paul; her three children and their spouses: Matthew Howes and his wife, Annie, of Goodyear, Ariz.; Louise Howes of New Canaan, Conn., and Julia Gomez-Blanco and her husband, Javier, of East Brunswick, N.J., and three loving grandchildren: Bridget, Aidan and Olivia.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 10 at 11 a.m. at the Congregational Church of New Canaan, 23 Park Street, New Canaan, Conn.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the following: Northfield Mount Hermon Gift Recording Office, Norton House, One Lamplighter Way, Mount Hermon, MA 01354, or Pi Beta Phi Foundation, 1154 Town and Country Commons Drive, Town and Country, MO 63017.