Harriet Anne
Haines Kumetat
June 29, 1928 - March 25, 2018
After savoring a last Warrior’s victory, Harriet Kumetat very quickly made plans to join The Great Jazz Jam in the Sky. She passed peacefully surrounded by her loving children Kurt and Eileen and by many members of the family of friends she had built for herself.
Harriet was born in Tacoma, WA, the daughter of John Francis Haines, a postal worker and Jean Murdoch Haines, a librarian and teacher. The total bill for her delivery was $33.60, which surely qualifies as one of the all time great bargains the world has ever seen!
Harriet was raised in Enumclaw, WA, at the foot of Mount Rainier, where she had great fun racing down the mountain on barrel slate skis, quarterbacking the neighborhood football team and winning all the marbles owned by every kid in town. She was very fond of nature and adventure and even discovered a two-headed snake on one of her tomboy exploits. She enjoyed spending summers with her beloved Aunt Katharine on her wheat farm in Athena, OR. and at her family’s beach cabin on Puget Sound. At age 13, Harriet organized a backyard carnival and raised $9 for the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle. Thus began 77 years of dedicated service in her personal and professional life. Harriet’s lifelong deeds impacted thousands of people and animals.
Harriet attended Whitman College (1946-48) and graduated from College of Puget Sound (1950). She was an active member in Pi Beta Phi sorority. In 1951, Harriet spent her days studying for a Masters of Social Work at University of Michigan in Detroit and her nights prowling the jazz clubs of Detroit and New York City. She completed her social work studies the following year at University of California, Berkeley, continuing her jazz education in Bay Area clubs. She then worked at Fred Finch Children’s Home in Oakland and Contra Costa County children’s adoptions unit.
At 27, Harriet and a friend drove 2,000 miles north on the Alcan highway, camping out along the way. They were en route to Juneau where Harriet had accepted a position as Child Welfare Director for The Territory of Alaska. Here, she traveled by dog sled, mail boat and airplane to serve the Native community. She met teacher Lewellyn Kumetat in Alaska and they married in 1956. After settling on the Peninsula, Harriet was Home Service Director for the Golden Gate Chapter of the American Red Cross and Director of The Friendly Visiting Service. Harriet then worked in numerous capacities for San Mateo County Department of Health and Welfare in both Adult and Child Protective Services.
In the early 70’s, Harriet had an especially memorable gig with the School Age Mothers (SAM) Program. One morning on her way to SAM, a Hell’s Angel challenged Harriet to a drag race on El Camino Real. Wanting to test out her new Jag, Harriet put her pedal to the metal. Of course, she won. Eileen is still recovering, but she remembers it as the day she realized her mother was definitely cool.
Harriet ended her professional career in adoptions which she found particularly rewarding.
Following retirement, Harriet continued her dedication to the community through volunteer work: answering phones for Friends in Service to Humanity (FISH), advocating to reform horse racing practices, and raising money for art supplies and games for children in the juvenile justice system amongst many other causes.
Harriet attended Calvary Presbyterian Church in Enumclaw as a child and was a very active member in the First Presbyterian Church of Burlingame since 1960. Harriet loved her weekly jazz class at College of San Mateo and enjoyed showing off her knowledge and sparring with her beloved teacher, Alisa Clancy. She was passionate about film, art and music, especially opera, blues and jazz. In her 80’s, she even presented a lecture to her Presbyterian senior group on one of her favorite artists, Egon Schiele.
Harriet was a lifelong animal lover--especially close to her childhood pony Rusty, hers cat and FluffyBlue and numerous basset hounds. Harriet was a fabulous dresser and renowned for her collection of hats. She was a sports fanatic as both fierce competitor and avid viewer. Harriet had a keen intellect and led a vibrant intellectual life until the very end. She was passionate about literature, mainly poetry. As well, she was very proud of her Irish and Scottish heritage.
Harriet was super politically active: she worked for numerous campaigns and served at polling places every election for decades. She proudly voted guilty in the nearly year long Billionaire Boys Club trial. She had a beautiful and commanding speaking voice. Harriet also had an incredible sense of humor; she loved to laugh, sing, dance, eat, travel and generally enjoy life to the fullest. She was an iconoclast who loved speaking truth to power, questioning authority, righting wrong and defending the underdog.
Harriet will be most remembered for her extraordinary gift with people: she was a compassionate and empathetic social worker; loving mother to Kurt and Eileen and mother-in-law to Maria and Stephen. Mostly Harriet will be remembered as a kind, warm, generous and loyal friend par excellence!
A Memorial Service will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Burlingame, 1500 Easton Avenue. at 11a.m. on Saturday April 14th. A Summer Celebration of Harriet’s life is planned for her birthday. Details to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made in Harriet’s name to Rocket Dog Rescue at rocketdogrescue.org. or a favorite charity of your choice.