Funeral Mass for Howard G. Mather, age 83, of Watertown, SD, will be at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 19, 2011, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Watertown.  Fr. Joseph Forcelle will officiate.  Music will be provided by Danielle Holmquist-Holida as organist, Correne Chlopkowiak as song leader, and the I. C. Church Choir.  Howard passed away on Tuesday, February 15, 2011, at a care center in Watertown.

     Burial will take place in the spring at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Watertown. Military graveside honors will be provided by Codington County Post #17 of the American Legion and Frank H. Adams Post #750 of Veterans of Foreign Wars, both of Watertown, and the Military Funeral Honors Team of the SD Army National Guard.  Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Lions and Elks Clubs.  Active pallbearers will be Howard’s grandchildren: Tyler Meyer, Travis Ellingson, Wyatt Kingren, Chase Kingren, Chris Mather, and Nicole Price.

     Visitation will be at the Crawford Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. with a Scripture Wake Service at 7:00 p.m.  Visitation will continue in the church on Saturday prior to services.  The family is requested to meet at the church on Saturday by 12:30 p.m. for a prayer service.

     Howard was born on August 21, 1927, in Norfolk, NE, to Howard Nelson and Mildred (Papstine) Mather.  He attended parochial school and graduated from Norfolk High School in 1946.  He joined the U.S. Army in 1946 and served for two and a half years in the Pacific, during the surrender and occupation of Japan, was discharged a P.F.C. in California in 1949, and then returned to Norfolk.  He worked at Madison Hotel and Epply Hotels Corporation.  After four years he began working at Hested-Lee Variety Stores and was later transferred to Omaha, Carroll, IA, and then to Moorhead, MN.  He quit the newly named Newberry’s Company and went to work for S.B.A. (Small Business Administration).  Howard then became employed by a mobile home supply company.  After the company sold out, he moved to Watertown, working first for the Spies Corporation and then for Watertown Monument Works, from which he retired. 

     Howard married Arlene Fisher in Norfolk, NE.  To this union, one son and three daughters were born.  He later married Clarice Amiot in Watertown, SD.  Howard spent about 21 winters in McAllen, TX, and then lived there permanently for 15 years.  He moved back to Watertown, SD, in 2005, where he remained until his death.

     Howard was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.  He was also a member of the Lions Club, serving as committee chairman, director, Tail Twister, Winter Carnival Chairman, Cabinet Secretary Treasurer in District 5-M, first Vice President, Zone Chairman, President, Deputy District Governor, and District Governor. Howard was a lifetime member of the Elks, serving as treasurer, trustee, was ‘Elk of the Year’ for two years, and an Honorary Founder of the National Fund.  He was also a member of K.C.’s, V.F.W., American Legion, and United Commercial Travelers.  He served on the South Dakota Sight and Service Board, two years of that time as president.  Howard’s hobbies were: hunting, fishing, bowling, golfing, working word find puzzles, and wood butchering.  He especially enjoyed spending time with his family.

     Howard is survived by one son, Howard John (Wendy) Mather, of Moorhead, MN; two daughters: Jean Ann Kingren of Ramsey, MN, and Deborah Sue (Nathan) Larson of Grand Forks, ND; two step-sons: Duane (Mary) Amiot of Chaska, MN, and Darrel (Virginia) Amiot of Eden Prairie, MN; one son-in-law, Jim Ellingson, of Watertown, SD; 13 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; two brothers: Dale (Barb) Mather of Norfolk, NE, and Don (Gay) Mather of Monarans, TX; and one sister, Beverly (Bob) Dillon, of Gary, NC.

     He was preceded in death by his wife, Clarice; one daughter, Roxie Ellingson; one brother; and one sister.