Mary Emily Howes, 89, of Hagerstown, MD, passed away on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at Somerford Place.

Born October 26, 1934, in Glenwood, MD, she was the daughter of the late James Franklin Givens, Sr. and wife, Eva Hattie (Seal).

Mary was a resident of Howard and Montgomery Counties before moving to Hagerstown in 1999. She was a 1952 graduate of Gaithersburg High School, receiving the Commercial Award.

She is survived son in law, August Zinsser of Poolesville, MD; five grandchildren, Ron Dwyer of Damascus, MD, Jamie Lynn (Dwyer) Harper and husband, Charles of Germantown, MD, Cody James, Kayla Marie, and Kacie Brianne Zinsser of Poolesville; two great grandchildren, Briana Noel and Gabriele Marie Harper of Germantown; one brother, Raymond Thomas Givens and wife, Edna of Hancock, MD. She is also survived by her stepson and stepdaughter, Curtis and Carol Benesh and their family (Troy and Diana, children, Aria and Torin) all of Poolesville, and (Kira and Sean Malone, children, Tobin and Amelie of Eugene, OR).

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Lester L. Benesh; two daughters, Debra Lynn (Howes) Dwyer and Dawn Marie (Howes) Zinsser; son in law, Ronald Dwyer; one sister, Thelma Ruth (Givens) Cooper; two brothers, James Franklin Givens, Jr. and Charles Johnny Givens; her previous husband, Darrel B. Ziegenbein. Her first marriage to James Aubrey Howes ended in divorce in 1978.

She was initially employed by the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, DC, in 1952 as a Clerk/Steno and later transferred to the then Atomic Energy Commission in Germantown, MD in 1957, and retired as Industrial Relations Specialist with the reorganized Department of Energy in Washington, DC in 1987.

She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, traveling, gardening, reading, working crossword and jigsaw puzzles.

The funeral service will be 11am Thursday January 25, 2024, at the Minnich Funeral Home, 415 E. Wilson Blvd, Hagerstown, MD. Pastor Curtis Hendershot will officiate. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 6-8pm Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at the funeral home.