Margery Woodworth Howie

Jan. 18, 1931 – Sept. 18, 2019

Margery Woodworth Howie, of Bainbridge Island, WA, died September 18, 2019 at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. She was born January 18, 1931 in Portland, OR to Katharine Holt (Wilson) and John Lawrence Woodworth. Growing up in Eugene, OR, she fondly remembered climbing trees, creating and tending a Victory Garden during WWII and always stretching to keep up with her two older siblings.

In 1952 she earned a BA degree in Political Science and Far East Studies from the University of Oregon. After working for a year at the Eugene Register Guard in display advertising, she moved to San Francisco where she had a twelve-year career in advertising at Guild, Bascom & Bonfigli and Botsford-Ketchum. She took classes from the New York School of Interior Design and established Margery Woodworth Interiors in 1964. She then began a career in commercial real estate at Grubb and Ellis.

In 1974 she and her husband established Bear Creek Properties, a residential real estate firm in Medford, OR. In Seattle, Marge worked in commercial real estate at Ewing & Clark, Commonwealth Real Estate, and then Madison & Company: her own firm that she ran until she retired in 2006.

She married Matthew John Howie, with whom she enjoyed a passion for cool jazz, classical music, art and design from the time they met in San Francisco in 1955. They moved to Santa Rosa, CA, Medford OR, and finally to Bainbridge Island in 1979. There, Matt built a number of homes and she took the ferry to Seattle, making lifelong friends with fellow commuters. She and Matt particularly enjoyed their travels to the Oregon Coast, and exploring the Olympic Peninsula and British Columbia. He preceded her in death in 2001 when, as Marge liked to say, “He bicycled his way to heaven”.

Marge is survived by her brother, John Roderick (Carol) Woodworth, of Portland, and sister, Katharine Anne Wood, of Bellingham, WA as well as a nephew, Thomas Woodworth of Portland and two nieces: Katharine Hatch of Seattle and Nancy (Randy) Young of Portland. She had three grandnephews, two grandnieces and two great grandnephews.

At her request, no services will be held. Remembrances can be made to The Veterans of Foreign Wars at PO Box 8958, Topeka, KS 66608.