Harriet was born on December 26, 1924 in Artesia, New Mexico. She was the youngest of four children born to J. Ward and Lucille Cave. She passed away on October 26, 2006 at Richland Rehabilitation due to complications of Alzheimer’s. She grew up in Artesia, New Mexico and graduated from Artesia high school in 1942. As a young woman she was actively involved in swimming and tennis, both of which she continued to do in her early adult years when the opportunity arose. Following graduation from high school, Harriet worked at several jobs – taking ore samples at a potash mine, at a bus station, at the Carlsbad Army Air Base and at The Artesia Advocate, the local newspaper. While employed at the Carlsbad air base in 1945, she was active with the USO, involving cadets training to be pilots. As a tour guide for the USO, she made over 40 trips into the Carlsbad Caverns with different groups of cadets. Harriet later moved to Dallas, Texas where she took a job as cashier at St. Paul’s hospital. Later she went to work for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company as a bookkeeper. She met Robert Y. Lyon of Dallas, TX in the young adults group at First Methodist Church in Dallas, while Bob was home from Texas A & M. After graduating in 1950, Bob took a job in Richland, WA starting in August of 1950.One year later he returned to Dallas and they were married on August 24, 1951 in a small chapel approximately 50 feet from where they met. Their honeymoon was driving back to Washington. They have lived in Richland since 1951. Harriet began working as a cashier in admitting at Kadlec Hospital the OLD one, then as a bookkeeper at Campbell’s Market and Mayfair Market, then was a stay at home Mom to their only child, Tracey. When Tracey was in 6th grade, Harriet returned to work, part-time, as a bookkeeper at Taylor Auto parts. She remained there, gradually becoming a full-time employee, until she retired in January of 1989. In retirement, she and Bob did some traveling, including trips to Alberta, British Columbia, Oregon, Texas, New Mexico and Ontario. She also took sewing classes with her friends, volunteered in the gift shop at the senior center and worked in the Finance office at the Allied Arts Sidewalk Show for several years. She was an active member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority for 50 years, making many friends along the way. Over the years she participated in many fun events with the group, including conventions in many parts of the Pacific Northwest and Canada. She was a member of Northwest United Protestant Church. In later years, she enjoyed watching her only granddaughter, Jordan, play soccer. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Robert “Bob” Lyon of Richland, her daughter Tracey Lyon Burrowes and granddaughter Jordan Burrowes both of West Richland. She is also survived by a nephew and several nieces in Texas and New Mexico. Her parents, her two brothers and her sister preceded her in death.
We would like to thank the staff at Richland Rehabilitation for taking such good care of Harriet.