Harriett Hills Stinson
Apr 17, 1926 - Jan 1, 2018
Harriett Hills Stinson was born on April 17th, 1926 to Leslie and Ethel Hills of San Francisco, California. She was educated at Miss Burke’s School and at Stanford University. She met her husband, Ralf Hale Stinson skiing at Sugar Bowl while he was attending medical school at Stanford. They married in June of 1950 and left for Philadelphia PA where Ralf completed his residency and internship.
After completing Ralf’s residency Harriett and Ralf moved to Hillsborough, CA, to raise their three children: Ralf Hale II, Nell Lee and Leslie Balchen. As a result of seeing the problems with her husband’s patients in Philadelphia had due to lack of access to family planning both Harriett and her husband developed a lifelong interest in reproductive rights and education. Working at Turnbull Elementary School in San Mateo and at the San Mateo County Jail as a volunteer educator reinforced these interests.
Another life-changing episode came in 1959 when Harriett’s husband went to Liberia on sabbatical as a medical missionary. She packed up the entire family and took them to the Holy Cross mission in Bolahun, involving a bush-pilot flight and several days of Land Rover travel on very poor muddy roads. The stark contrast between life in the bush in Liberia and the US affected both her and Ralf deeply.
Harriett founded California Republicans for Choice and also helped found Planned Parenthood of San Mateo County. She and her husband worked for reproductive rights throughout their marriage. She forced herself to become a persuasive public speaker, even though as she said “my knees were nocking behind the podium!” You took on Harriett politically at your peril! Heigh-Ho, the Hills summer house at Lake Tahoe was the scene of many happy memories, both as a child and as a mother. The Flying S Ranch was another such place and held a special meaning for her all her life and where she spent much free time. Finally, the Chaney Creek barley farm in Idaho near Ketchum was where she and Ralf spent the Fall for many years, bird watching, hiking, camping and photography was close to her heart. While not a hunter, she accompanied Ralf on many bird shooting adventures.
Harriett was preceded in death by her husband, Ralf Stinson and her son Leslie Balchen Stinson. She is survived by her sister Mary Lee Hills Strebl, her brother Austin Hills, her son Ralf Hale Stinson II LCDR USN ret, her daughter Nell Lee Stinson MD, her daughter-in-law Janice Chiyomi Stinson Nurse PhD and son-in-law Melchior Thompson. Her grandchildren include Akiko Prokop (Adrian Prokop), Emiko Stinson, Camille Thompson, Adrian Thompson and Ian Edward Hale Thompson. She greatly enjoyed her great-granddaughter Alice Miyuki Prokop.
She once said that she had been fortunate to have two blue-eyed men with soft southern accents in her life: her husband of 43 years and later her dear companion, John Ashford. Harriett was always interesting, thoughtful of others, lively and a great person to be around. The outdoors, wildflowers and the natural world gave her special pleasure.
A quote from her memoir The Mouse That Roared typifies Harriett: “But my favorite times of all were when Ralf and I would sit together on the deck late in the day, watching the setting sun turn our cliffs at the ranch to molten gold”.
Harriett died January 1st, 2018 of natural causes in San Mateo, CA. A memorial service will be held January 27th, 2018 at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in San Mateo at 2pm. A reception will follow.