Harriet Macomber

Harriet Macomber age 86 of Fredericksburg died Friday, January 24, 2014, at the Community Memorial Hospital in Sumner. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 30, 2014, at the Hillcrest Baptist and Brethren Church, Fredericksburg with Pastor Michael Bremer presiding. Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery. Friends may greet the family 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 29, 2014, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home in Fredericksburg. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Harriet Macomber was born February 28, 1927, to Harry J. and Winnifred L. (Babcock) Howe in Dodge Center, MN. She was the oldest of their four children. She attended country school in rural Dodge Center then graduated from Maplewood Academy, a Christian boarding high school in Hutchinson, MN. Harriet then attended Union college in Lincoln, NE, for a short time. She was a long time member of the Hawkeye, IA, Seventh-day Adventist Church where she held many offices. On September 23, 1946, at Pleasant Corners Church in Dodge Center, she married Wayne D. Macomber. The couple made their first home in Dodge Center and in the 1950’s made Fredericksburg, IA, their permanent home. Throughout her life Harriet worked in several types of employment including waitress work, along with cleaning homes and church’s. She dispatched ambulances from her home for the Fredericksburg location of Chickasaw Ambulance prior to 911, under the ownership of John and Lois Rich. She was a sworn matron for the local law enforcement department, again before 911 and the current county law enforcement coverage. Harriet had also worked for 20 years as a CNA at the former Sunrise Guest Home in Fredericksburg. She enjoyed baking for her family and others, knitting, crocheting, sewing, reading, gardening, traveling and treasured spending time with her family and friends. Many friends and family will remember her for her generosity of baked goods and likely an afghan for a wedding or special gift. Harriet is survived by her precious dog, Snickers; two sons, Larry Macomber of Hagerstown, MD, Ron (Trish) Macomber of New Hampton; one daughter, Shirley (LaVern) Kammeyer of Fredericksburg; four grandchildren and their families, Vicki, Tiffany, Christopher and Lacey; two step-grandchildren, Jen and Krista along with their families; seven great-grandchildren, one step-great-grandchild; one sister, Leberta (Bob) Payne of WI; one brother, Gerald (Jan) Howe of IN; two sisters-in-law, Ernestean Cram of MI; Viv Colvin of TN; a host of nieces, nephews and special friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 57 years on September 3, 2003; one brother, Pastor Don Howe in 1986; one daughter-in-law, Carol Macomber in 2010.