of Phoenix, Arizona, died in her home on June 1, 2015. She was 84 years old. Harriet is survived by her children, Chris (Rhoda) Brown of Tucson, AZ, Cindi (Rollah) Aston of Roswell, NM, Suzie Ford of Phoenix, Libby Haskell of Santa Rosa, CA, Caroline (Gary) Fujii of Pacific Grove, CA; her 5 beloved grandchildren – Bryan, Matthew, Nik, Riky and Katie; and her siblings, Robert (Caroline) Hoag of Silverdale, WA and Frances (Duane) Weisz of Scottsdale. She is preceded in death by her husband, Jack Haskell and her parents, Leslie and Harriet Hoag. Harriet was born on January 15, 1931 in Lebanon, PA to Leslie Farmer Hoag and Harriet Whitman Hoag. As a child she lived in Johannesburg, South Africa and Salt Lake City, Utah before moving to Phoenix in 1944. She attended North High School, Pine Manor College in MA, and graduated from the University of Arizona in 1952 with a degree in education. Harriet married shortly after college graduation and had Chris, Cindi and Suzie. After meeting Jack Haskell, Harriet remarried in 1973. Jack’s children, Libby and Caroline, were added to the family brood. Harriet imparted a great many of her own interests to her children – a love of reading, travel, the Southwest and history (especially as it pertained to Arizona). All of her children remember wonderful skiing trips to Colorado and Utah, as well as family vacations in Mexico. She and Jack later built a beautiful cabin in Flagstaff which hosted many holiday and other family gatherings. All of her children and grandchildren fondly remember her as a loving mother and grandmother whose greatest joy was her family. In addition to her family, Harriet had many outside interests and activities: the Board of Visitors, the Heard Museum, Junior League, her prayer group, her reading group, her work on the oral histories of Salt River Project and the Arizona Historical Society, Phoenix Air National Guard (PANG) Patriots, and her decade plus volunteering in her daughter’s classroom. She was also a devout Christian and dedicated member of Christ Church of the Ascension and All Saints’ Episcopal Church. Harriet passed away peacefully in her home after a short illness. All of her family were able to express their love and support before the end. She will be remembered as a wonderful daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. A Memorial Service is scheduled for Saturday, June 6th, 2015 at 11:00 AM at Christ Church of the Ascension, 4015 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley, with a celebration of her life to follow immediately after in the reception hall at the church. All are welcome to attend to help the family celebrate Harriet’s life. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Harriet’s name to PANG Patriots, 777 E. Thomas Road, Suite 210, Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Tracy Rohrbacher
Harriet had such an inspiring life! What a wonderful woman to be so involved in every possible way of life, from education to AZ history, to all of the countless other activities that she volunteered with. Suzie, I met your mom when she was helping in your classroom, as well as at Katie’s birthday party and I remember her sparkly personality. Remarkable lady with quite a legacy to be proud of. God bless you all!
Anthony Ford
Harriet was a big part of my life as a mother-in-law for about twenty years. I always appreciated her adding to my kitchenware because she appreciated my cooking skills and wanted to expand my tools. She was an amazing source of information regarding many things, one of which was knowledge of Navajo rugs and Hopi kachinas, and I learned a lot from her.
She had an interesting life, and had much to add to others’ lives. I will miss her.
Mike Rowe
Beautifully worded obituary to eulogize your mom guys. I am very sorry I was unable to attend the service and see you all. I understand the turn-out of old Phoenix friends was quite a tribute. My mom always said, and I am sure many would agree, Harriet was the smartest woman she ever met. The footprint she left most certainly reflects that. Memories of fun adventures with your family like the hay rides we went on and trips to Rocky Point, etc., are unquestionably woven into the fabric of my childhood. Harriet (and Jack’s) passing represent such a significant milestone …
My sincere condolences for your loss.
Mike
Jim Hoag
I am sorry to hear of Harriet’s passing and my sympathy to her family. She was my Hoag genealogy partner and we had great times discussing the mysteries and missing links. She had carried on in that research from her aunt and was a wealth of information. She and Jack were always such gracious people and made me feel welcome when I visited.
Nancy Leon
I am so sorry to hear of Harriet’s passing. She and my mom were cousins, and I had only met her a couple of times but always found her to be a lovely, generous woman who exuded warmth and caring. She will be missed by many.