Margaret Frances Howerton Viray passed peacefully on the morning of Jan. 21, 2021, at the Lane House in Crawfordsville.
Margaret was born Feb. 18, 1928, at Centerville, Kentucky, to Richard Howerton of Kentucky and Apollonia (Ganser) Howerton, originally from Mayen, Germany.
All will remember her fondly for her larger-than-life personality, quick wit, infectious laugh, charitable nature, generosity and loving spirit. Margaret was proud of her experience as a registered nurse working at St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, where she met her future husband, Victoriano G. Viray, MD. They married just before starting their morning shifts in the hospital chapel at five o’clock on Nov. 17, 1956.
Margaret’s faith was an essential aspect of her life and she was an active parishioner of St. Bernard Catholic Church since the family established their home in Crawfordsville in 1961. In 1968, she worked with several other like-minded women to establish the Christian Nursing Service’s Well-Baby Clinic, which later became the Mary Ludwig Free Clinic.
Husband Victoriano and three siblings, Mary Belle Hinkson, John Howerton and Lona Fallis, preceded Margaret in death.
She is survived by her children, John (Susan), Maria (Mike), Margaret Anne and Joseph; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A private graveside service is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 26. The family plans to schedule a funeral mass and celebration of life in the future.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that all who knew and loved Margaret please consider a donation in her name to the Mary Ludwig Free Clinic.
Online condolences and memories may be left at www.huntandson.com.
