HOWARD Evelyn (Boldrick) of Needham formerly of Wellesley May 23, 2012. Age 92. Beloved wife of the late Nelson Howard. Devoted mother of Rev. Jim Howard (Nelson Howard III) of Pembroke, NH, Kent E. Howard and his wife Jane of Dover, NH., and Judith Hines and her husband Lonnie of Essex Junction, VT. Grandmother of Elizabeth Traynor, Christian Howard, and Jordan Hines. Member of the Wellesley Congregational Church for over 50 years.
Evelyn was born in San Diego, CA on May 1, 1920. Growing up with two older brothers, her childhood was a happy one. In 1938 she graduated from San Diego, High School. An avid lover of sports, she excelled in racquet sports, especially badminton. She became the U.S. Women’s Singles badminton champion in 1940. She was featured playing the sport that she loved for various sponsors and appeared in a Time magazine advertisement, among others. As she continued to dominate the field of women’s badminton during the early 1940’s, winning both the singles and doubles championships in 1942, she still managed to earn a degree from UCLA that very same year.
During the war years, badminton came to a halt, so Evvy found herself in a masters program at Wellesley College. It was there that she graduated with an MS in Physical Education, Health and Hygiene in 1945. Besides teaching at the College in 1945, Evvy got married that year to Nelson (Junie) Howard, whom she had met playing badminton at the University Club in Boston, and she continued teaching at Wellesley until 1949.
Throughout her life, Evvy remained active in the love of the sport of badminton. Once her children were grown, Evvy returned to teaching Physical Education at Wellesley (for a total of 9 years), and Boston Bouve’ College at Northeastern University for 16 years, retiring in 1985.
Certainly her proudest achievements, along with her children and teaching, include being inducted into the Helms Hall of Fame in Los Angeles and San Diego Hall of Champions.
Memorial Service will be held at the Wellesley Congregational Church (Village Church) 2 Central St. Wellesley Friday June 1st at 1:30 PM Relatives and friends kindly invited. Private interment Woodlawn Cemetery, Wellesley. In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy may be made in Evelyn’s memory to the Wellesley Congregational Church 2 Central St. Wellesley, MA 02482.