by Patty Stephenson
My Aunt Harriett was 15 years old when I was born. My earliest memories include my thinking how cool it was to have a young aunt (unlike my own mother and my other aunts). I remember her as a student at USC, a beautiful young woman wearing stylish clothes, playing tennis and doing exciting things. Over the next few years we heard of her travels around the U.S. and her teaching. Then when I was 11 years old Aunt Harriett married Uncle Alan. Another amazing thing for me and my young cousins that an aunt could get married!
A couple of years latter my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Aunt Harriett, who was pregnant at the time, came over daily to stay with our mom so that we could go to school. We just wanted her to sit with mom, but she did everything she could to help with the laundry, cooking and housework.
During my mom’s recovery I turned 16 and needed to get my driver’s license. Aunt Harriett took me, but the examiner refused to believe that she was my mom. I don’t think either of us thought that he would think that.
A few months later Helen Pearl was born. I would ride my old single speed bicycle to help my aunt with the baby, and went with them to doctor visits. At one of those visits I was sitting with the baby when a lady started asking me questions about the baby – how much she weighed, how old she was, etc. Suddenly I realized that she thought I was the mom. I was shocked!
With my cousin Helen Johnson I was privileged to spend 3 days with my Aunt Harriett shortly before she died. Though she was not always totally aware, we had several wonderful conversations about her youth and mine. She was able to remind me of some things I had forgotten.
Even today it is hard to believe that Aunt Harriett is gone. She was the joy of my grandparent’s older years and always called “Honey” by her family. In the hospital she reminded me that she thought her name was Honey, and that when she began kindergarten the teacher called someone else “honey”. She was irate, and was unhappy that someone else would use her name.
Aunt Harriett, we will keep your memory in our hearts forever.