Harriett Mae Williams was born on November 12, 1925, into an accomplished farming family in Yorktown, Indiana. As a youth, Harriett attended the Friends Meeting House (now the Friends Memorial Church) in Muncie, where she began her lifelong enjoyment of church choirs as well as her married life. Harriett was active in local and national 4-H activities and the Friends Junior Leadership Conference; academically, she became a contestant in the Indiana State Mathematics and Indiana District Latin competitions as a sophomore in high school and, as a senior, was a representative at the state Debaters' Conference. After graduating as salutatorian from Yorktown High School in 1943, she joined the Yorktown State Bank, where she became skilled in accounting and financial management. Harriett developed the habit of joining other bank employees in the vault at the noon hour, learning against her instincts to dine on olives.
In 1950, she met her future husband of 56 years, Wayne Sturm of Pigeon, Michigan, at a Rural Youth and Junior Farm Bureau event in Door County, Wisconsin. She married Wayne in 1951 and transplanted her farming roots to Huron County, where she flourished for the next 56 years. Her Hoosier background and family remained dear to her always.
The integrity and knowledge that seeped into her fiber as a youth in Indiana served her exceptionally well over the next six decades in her meticulous accounting of the finances of the Sturm family farm and with the Pigeon Co-op Oil Company, where she kept the books for 11 years.
Harriett will be remembered by her friends and family as a tireless organizer and supporter of activities at the First United Methodist Church in Pigeon. She was not only a personal friend of fellow parishioners but also of many classic church hymns. In addition to her enthusiastic membership in the choir, she taught Sunday school and served as church secretary and on a number of church committees. Unbeknownst to many, her shovel broke ground on the church's Fellowship Hall in 1961, and her hands polished the dishes of countless clueless guests at Community Mens' breakfasts over the years. She also belonged to the Port Huron District United Methodist Women, where she acted
as treasurer. In addition to her church activities, Harriett was active in the Lucky 50 Farm Bureau Group, the McKinley Homemakers Club and the Town & Country Square Dance Club.
Harriett's sisters Garnet Showalter, and Nancy Michel together with her husband Donald, paid a much-appreciated visit to Pigeon to visit Harriett in her last days. Harriett's parents, Claude and Carrie Williams, as well her sisters Evelyn and Dorothy predeceased her.
Harriett's three children, Randall Sturm, Deborah Sturm, and Barbara Sonneborn, together with Harriett's beloved husband, Wayne, and other thoughtful family members and friends attended to Harriett's needs in her final days – with the kind, professional help and care of the wonderful staff of Heartland Hospice Services of Bad Axe.
Three grandchildren, Martin and Jenny Sturm, children of Randall and Cheryl, and Emilie Pulver, daughter of Barbara, will miss their grandmother, as will Harriett's cat, Pusqitti and her granddog, Rufus.
The family will appreciate any charitable contributions made in Harriett's memory but have selected the following organizations: First United Methodist Church of Pigeon, Scheurer Hospital of Pigeon, the American Cancer Society, and a fund to be established for the support of local patients in hospice care and their families.
The Funeral Service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28 at the First United Methodist Church in Pigeon, with Rev. John Britt, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Grandlawn Cemetery.
The family would appreciate any written recollections and copies of photographs. Before the funeral, these may be directed to the First United Methodist Church or the Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral Home of Pigeon. They may later be sent to family members.
Obit from Huron Daily Tribune
In 1950, she met her future husband of 56 years, Wayne Sturm of Pigeon, Michigan, at a Rural Youth and Junior Farm Bureau event in Door County, Wisconsin. She married Wayne in 1951 and transplanted her farming roots to Huron County, where she flourished for the next 56 years. Her Hoosier background and family remained dear to her always.
The integrity and knowledge that seeped into her fiber as a youth in Indiana served her exceptionally well over the next six decades in her meticulous accounting of the finances of the Sturm family farm and with the Pigeon Co-op Oil Company, where she kept the books for 11 years.
Harriett will be remembered by her friends and family as a tireless organizer and supporter of activities at the First United Methodist Church in Pigeon. She was not only a personal friend of fellow parishioners but also of many classic church hymns. In addition to her enthusiastic membership in the choir, she taught Sunday school and served as church secretary and on a number of church committees. Unbeknownst to many, her shovel broke ground on the church's Fellowship Hall in 1961, and her hands polished the dishes of countless clueless guests at Community Mens' breakfasts over the years. She also belonged to the Port Huron District United Methodist Women, where she acted
as treasurer. In addition to her church activities, Harriett was active in the Lucky 50 Farm Bureau Group, the McKinley Homemakers Club and the Town & Country Square Dance Club.
Harriett's sisters Garnet Showalter, and Nancy Michel together with her husband Donald, paid a much-appreciated visit to Pigeon to visit Harriett in her last days. Harriett's parents, Claude and Carrie Williams, as well her sisters Evelyn and Dorothy predeceased her.
Harriett's three children, Randall Sturm, Deborah Sturm, and Barbara Sonneborn, together with Harriett's beloved husband, Wayne, and other thoughtful family members and friends attended to Harriett's needs in her final days – with the kind, professional help and care of the wonderful staff of Heartland Hospice Services of Bad Axe.
Three grandchildren, Martin and Jenny Sturm, children of Randall and Cheryl, and Emilie Pulver, daughter of Barbara, will miss their grandmother, as will Harriett's cat, Pusqitti and her granddog, Rufus.
The family will appreciate any charitable contributions made in Harriett's memory but have selected the following organizations: First United Methodist Church of Pigeon, Scheurer Hospital of Pigeon, the American Cancer Society, and a fund to be established for the support of local patients in hospice care and their families.
The Funeral Service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28 at the First United Methodist Church in Pigeon, with Rev. John Britt, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Grandlawn Cemetery.
The family would appreciate any written recollections and copies of photographs. Before the funeral, these may be directed to the First United Methodist Church or the Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral Home of Pigeon. They may later be sent to family members.
Obit from Huron Daily Tribune
Harriett Mae Williams was born on November 12, 1925, into an accomplished farming family in Yorktown, Indiana. As a youth, Harriett attended the Friends Meeting House (now the Friends Memorial Church) in Muncie, where she began her lifelong enjoyment of church choirs as well as her married life. Harriett was active in local and national 4-H activities and the Friends Junior Leadership Conference; academically, she became a contestant in the Indiana State Mathematics and Indiana District Latin competitions as a sophomore in high school and, as a senior, was a representative at the state Debaters' Conference. After graduating as salutatorian from Yorktown High School in 1943, she joined the Yorktown State Bank, where she became skilled in accounting and financial management. Harriett developed the habit of joining other bank employees in the vault at the noon hour, learning against her instincts to dine on olives.
In 1950, she met her future husband of 56 years, Wayne Sturm of Pigeon, Michigan, at a Rural Youth and Junior Farm Bureau event in Door County, Wisconsin. She married Wayne in 1951 and transplanted her farming roots to Huron County, where she flourished for the next 56 years. Her Hoosier background and family remained dear to her always.
The integrity and knowledge that seeped into her fiber as a youth in Indiana served her exceptionally well over the next six decades in her meticulous accounting of the finances of the Sturm family farm and with the Pigeon Co-op Oil Company, where she kept the books for 11 years.
Harriett will be remembered by her friends and family as a tireless organizer and supporter of activities at the First United Methodist Church in Pigeon. She was not only a personal friend of fellow parishioners but also of many classic church hymns. In addition to her enthusiastic membership in the choir, she taught Sunday school and served as church secretary and on a number of church committees. Unbeknownst to many, her shovel broke ground on the church's Fellowship Hall in 1961, and her hands polished the dishes of countless clueless guests at Community Mens' breakfasts over the years. She also belonged to the Port Huron District United Methodist Women, where she acted
as treasurer. In addition to her church activities, Harriett was active in the Lucky 50 Farm Bureau Group, the McKinley Homemakers Club and the Town & Country Square Dance Club.
Harriett's sisters Garnet Showalter, and Nancy Michel together with her husband Donald, paid a much-appreciated visit to Pigeon to visit Harriett in her last days. Harriett's parents, Claude and Carrie Williams, as well her sisters Evelyn and Dorothy predeceased her.
Harriett's three children, Randall Sturm, Deborah Sturm, and Barbara Sonneborn, together with Harriett's beloved husband, Wayne, and other thoughtful family members and friends attended to Harriett's needs in her final days – with the kind, professional help and care of the wonderful staff of Heartland Hospice Services of Bad Axe.
Three grandchildren, Martin and Jenny Sturm, children of Randall and Cheryl, and Emilie Pulver, daughter of Barbara, will miss their grandmother, as will Harriett's cat, Pusqitti and her granddog, Rufus.
The family will appreciate any charitable contributions made in Harriett's memory but have selected the following organizations: First United Methodist Church of Pigeon, Scheurer Hospital of Pigeon, the American Cancer Society, and a fund to be established for the support of local patients in hospice care and their families.
The Funeral Service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28 at the First United Methodist Church in Pigeon, with Rev. John Britt, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Grandlawn Cemetery.
The family would appreciate any written recollections and copies of photographs. Before the funeral, these may be directed to the First United Methodist Church or the Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral Home of Pigeon. They may later be sent to family members.
Obit from Huron Daily Tribune
In 1950, she met her future husband of 56 years, Wayne Sturm of Pigeon, Michigan, at a Rural Youth and Junior Farm Bureau event in Door County, Wisconsin. She married Wayne in 1951 and transplanted her farming roots to Huron County, where she flourished for the next 56 years. Her Hoosier background and family remained dear to her always.
The integrity and knowledge that seeped into her fiber as a youth in Indiana served her exceptionally well over the next six decades in her meticulous accounting of the finances of the Sturm family farm and with the Pigeon Co-op Oil Company, where she kept the books for 11 years.
Harriett will be remembered by her friends and family as a tireless organizer and supporter of activities at the First United Methodist Church in Pigeon. She was not only a personal friend of fellow parishioners but also of many classic church hymns. In addition to her enthusiastic membership in the choir, she taught Sunday school and served as church secretary and on a number of church committees. Unbeknownst to many, her shovel broke ground on the church's Fellowship Hall in 1961, and her hands polished the dishes of countless clueless guests at Community Mens' breakfasts over the years. She also belonged to the Port Huron District United Methodist Women, where she acted
as treasurer. In addition to her church activities, Harriett was active in the Lucky 50 Farm Bureau Group, the McKinley Homemakers Club and the Town & Country Square Dance Club.
Harriett's sisters Garnet Showalter, and Nancy Michel together with her husband Donald, paid a much-appreciated visit to Pigeon to visit Harriett in her last days. Harriett's parents, Claude and Carrie Williams, as well her sisters Evelyn and Dorothy predeceased her.
Harriett's three children, Randall Sturm, Deborah Sturm, and Barbara Sonneborn, together with Harriett's beloved husband, Wayne, and other thoughtful family members and friends attended to Harriett's needs in her final days – with the kind, professional help and care of the wonderful staff of Heartland Hospice Services of Bad Axe.
Three grandchildren, Martin and Jenny Sturm, children of Randall and Cheryl, and Emilie Pulver, daughter of Barbara, will miss their grandmother, as will Harriett's cat, Pusqitti and her granddog, Rufus.
The family will appreciate any charitable contributions made in Harriett's memory but have selected the following organizations: First United Methodist Church of Pigeon, Scheurer Hospital of Pigeon, the American Cancer Society, and a fund to be established for the support of local patients in hospice care and their families.
The Funeral Service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28 at the First United Methodist Church in Pigeon, with Rev. John Britt, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Grandlawn Cemetery.
The family would appreciate any written recollections and copies of photographs. Before the funeral, these may be directed to the First United Methodist Church or the Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral Home of Pigeon. They may later be sent to family members.
Obit from Huron Daily Tribune
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