Beulah Clark Howison
Beulah Clark Howison age 99 of Menomonie,
Died: Thursday March 12, 2009 at the Dunn County Health Care Center in Menomonie.
Beulah was born February 14, 1910 in Green Lake County near Princeton, WI. She was the daughter of Ralph H. and Mina S. (Smith) Clark. In 1906, the family moved to Tomahawk, where her parents engaged in farming near the Wisconsin River. Beulah graduated from Tomahawk High School in 1926, where she was Valedictorian of her class. She received a four year tuition-free scholarship to attend Northland College in Ashland, WI during a time when few farm children attended high school, and even fewer attended college. Beulah majored in Mathematics with minors in French and Library Science. She graduated with a BA in 1930. Beulah did further study at the University of Michigan. After college, Beulah served as High School Librarian in Marinette, WI in 1930-31. She then moved to Wausau and served as senior High School Librarian until 1940. On August 21, 1940, she married William Kelsey Howison and moved to Menomonie, WI. She received a call from Burton Nelson, Stout Institute President, to serve as a librarian. She began work September 14, 1942. Beulah retired from Stout in December 1975, after serving thirty-three years as a librarian.
Countless students who credited her for their success in conducting research and writing papers remember Beulah best. Few librarians ever achieved in bibliographic prowess that Beulah did. She read widely, played bridge, and attended opera and theater regularly in the Twin Cities. She and her husband, Bill traveled extensively in Europe, Egypt, Greece, and the United States. Beulah was a member of the Dunn County Historical Society, Friends of the Menomonie Public Library, Unitarian Society, and numerous book clubs and charitable organizations.
Beulah is survived by many friends and cousins.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband William; two sisters, Marion Clark and Alice Clark.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Beulah’s name to Northland College in Ashland or U. W. Stout Library, C/O Stout Foundation, Inc.