Harriette Louise Mathews died peacefully at Jefferson General Hospital in Port Townsend, Wash., in the presence of family members on February 27, 2009. She was 94.

Born Harriette Irving into a military family in San Francisco, she grew up in Honolulu and later returned to San Francisco where she worked as a medical secretary until marrying Frank Mathews on New Year’s Day, 1962. She and Frank lived in Hawaii, California, and Washington before finally moving to Orcas Island in 1971, when Dr. Mathews opened a medical practice in Eastsound in partnership with another physician. The Mathews made their home in Rosario Heights.

Harriette loved travel of any sort, but especially cruises. It was on a liesurely Matson Line tour of the Pacific that she met Frank. She also loved games – Scrabble, Dominoes, and for many years she was an enthusiastic participant in a regular group that meets to play Spite and Malice. She was an avid member of the Wednesday Walkers. She listed ornithology, crossword puzzles and shell collecting among her hobbies.

Harriette was preceded in death by her husband, one sister, a brother, and a step-daughter. She leaves behind a sister, Margaret McPherson, of Oakland, Calif., and four step-children. Baptized in the Catholic Church, she was a member of St. Francis Parish.

She will be remembered and missed.