Katherine Susman Howe Includes a Bequest in Her Will to Provide Funds for Kinkaid’s Libraries

When Kinkaid’s current campus was two years old, the late Katherine Susman Howe ’64 was bussed there as an eighth grader to obtain the best preparation available for college and a professional career. Kath went on to earn a BA in art history and an MA in museology and enjoyed a 40+-year career with the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.

In gratitude, Kath included a percentage bequest in her will to provide unrestricted funds for use by the libraries at The Kinkaid School.

George ’64, Kath’s husband of 51 years and fellow Kinkaid alum, says “Kath’s bequests were made specifically to the libraries of the institutions that shaped her: her high school, her college, her church endowment, and especially the library of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, where she did much of her research for her lectures, publications, academic journals, the magazine Antiques, and several major exhibition catalogues and books.

“Kath was active for many years on the Kinkaid Alumni Association Board,” George continues. “She enjoyed helping at school functions like Field Day and the annual Book Fair and serving on committees when our daughter, Kate ’95, was at Kinkaid. Kath was recognized as a Distinguished Kinkaid Alumna in 2011 and Kate as a Distinguished Kinkaid Young Alumna in 2016.”

George encourages others to consider a planned gift to support what is most important to them. “Kath and I were fortunate to have attended Kinkaid and to continue on through graduate school into our chosen professions, which enabled us to lead responsible, contributory lives,” he concludes. “We always believed we should support our formative institutions if we were able. And while we are not wealthy, we are comfortable enough to do just that.”