MARY HOW, 1941-1987
Mary was born in Victoria, Australia, and emigrated as a young woman to the UK, where she met and married Raymond How. Mary and Raymond had two children, Jeremy and Victoria, and lived in West Chiltington in West Sussex, where they had many friends.
Raymond How described Mary as a “super person, who was so brave in adversity, who gave so much love, warmth and happiness to so many, wherever she set foot and to whomever she befriended.” He said that people from all walks of life were captivated by her Aussie charm.
Mary was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 1984 and despite a brave battle against the disease she died in 1987, at the early age of 46.
Mary’s son, Jeremy, explains that “on the night she died my mother's GP and my father founded The Mary How Trust, an organisation they hoped would allow the early detection of malignant and other diseases”.
Raymond How moved to the West Country but remained close to the Mary How Trust. Raymond died in 1996. Jeremy and Victoria have continued their family’s commitment to the Mary How Trust’s aims, and Jeremy is on the board of trustees.
