Press enter after choosing selection

Mrs. Earhart Dies At Home After Illness

Mrs. Earhart Dies At Home After Illness image
Parent Issue
Day
23
Month
March
Year
1940
Copyright
Copyright Protected
Rights Held By
Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
Obituary
OCR Text

Widely Known For Church, Music, Garden Activities; Services Private Mrs. Harry Boyd Earhart, prominent in church, music and garden circles of the city and state, died yesterday afternoon at her home "The Meadows," 4090 Geddes Rd., after an illness of a month. She was 68 years old. Mrs. Earhart and Mr. Earhart, president of H. B. Earhart, Inc., had made their home in and near Ann Arbor since 1916. Her interests were many. Centered primarily in her home life and in her family, Mrs. Earhart's interests, all closely allied with her home, extended into church work, music and garden club movements and in the furtherance of the education of young people. She had helped many young people in obtaining an education and in addition had given them the spark of encouragement which inspired them to make the most of their talents. She not only assisted them during their formal education but kept in touch with them through correspondence. Interested In Chinese Mrs. Earhart was deeply interested in China and the Chinese people. She had helped Chinese students here and had aided Chinese young people in China directly through foreign missions. Mr. and Mrs. Earhart had established scholarship, loan and study funds at the University of Michigan, which also reflected their interests in the young people. A lifelong Methodist, Mrs. Earhart, since her residence in Ann Arbor, had been active in the First Methodist church and had been looking forward to the completion of the new edifice. She was chairman of the music committee of this congregation. She had a vital interest in music and was one of the patronesses of Mu Phi Epsilon, music sorority, at the time of her death. Mrs. Earhart was a past president of the Federated Garden Clubs of Michigan. Her gardens at "The Meadows" have attracted visitors and flower enthusiasts continuously and her flower entries in shows in Ann Arbor, Detroit and New York had won prizes. One of the outstanding events of the local garden club each year was the visit to the Earhart gardens. Actively interested in the work of the Young Women's Christian Association, Mrs. Earhart in late years had been active in the national Y.W.C.A., an international organization. Born Sept. 1, 1871, in Detroit, Mrs. Earhart was Miss Carrie Louise Beal, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Beal, before her marriage April 23, 1901, in Detroit, to Mr. Earhart. She was educated in the Detroit schools and at Abbott Academy at Andover, Mass. Mr. and Mrs. Earhart lived for a few years in Chicago after their marriage and then returned to Detroit where they made their home until moving to Ann Arbor in September, 1916. Mr. Earhart, who is president of H. B. Earhart, Inc., was president and chairman of the board of directors of the White Star Refining Co. from 1910 to 1932 and director of the Vacuum Oil Co. from 1930 to 1933. Mrs. Earhart is survived by her husband; three daughters, Mrs. Clement A. Smith and Mrs. A. Philip Guiles of Boston, and Mrs. James A. Kennedy of Ann Arbor; a son, Richard Earhart, of Ann Arbor; 14 grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. John A. Stephenson of Duluth, Minn.; and two brothers, Frank E. Beal and Alexander W. Beal of Detroit. Funeral services will be private at the home tomorrow. Dr. Charles W. Brashares, minister of the First Methodist church, will officiate. Interment will be made in the cemetery on the Earhart Rd., about a half mile from the residence. (A photograph of Mrs. Earhart appears on page 3.)