Harriet R. Brin
Harriet R. Brin died on June 24, 2023, in Ogden, Utah. She was a caring, thoughtful woman who enjoyed helping others and going on family adventures. She was well-known for remembering to send birthday cards to her extended family. Harriet was born on April 28, 1928, in South Dakota, to William E. C. Keplinger and Susie Hilton. She grew up in Herndon, Kansas and was Valedictorian of her high school class. She went to college at Fort Hays Kansas State College, Hays, Kansas, where she graduated with a degree in Business Administration. At Fort Hays College, she met William “Bill” James Brin and married him at Plainville, Kansas on August 16, 1949. At first they farmed, but then Bill got a job with the Bureau of Reclamation and they moved to various states in the Western U.S. They moved to Hollister, California, in 1976. Bill died in 2011. In 2016, after having heart valve surgery, Harriet moved to Ogden, Utah, to live with her eldest daughter.
Harriet led a very busy life. She worked as a secretary; then worked for the Unemployment Office in Hollister; and later was a Purchasing Agent for the Bureau of Reclamation Office in Gilroy, California. She and Bill traveled extensively in their own airplane, usually visiting family and friends. They even built a small two-seater airplane in their garage in Hollister–a Vari-Eze–which they showed off at the Oshkosh Air Show. They were active in the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the Hollister Airmen’s Association, and the Historic Trail Flyers; Harriet herself was a pilot and a member of the Monterey Bay and Gavilan 99’s, a women’s flying association. Harriet wrote poetry and played the piano; researched family history; and volunteered to assist people do their taxes. She loved math problems and crossword puzzles; bowled and played tennis, table tennis, and horseshoes; and won several trophies in tournaments. She and Bill went on long bicycle trips–across entire states; served as lectors at church; and were active in the Friends of the San Benito County Free Library. Harriet taught Religious Education to elementary children, both at St. James and in Colorado; and served as a Eucharistic Minister at Mass and as an office assistant in Hollister. These last few years, she helped with the prayer chain at St. James the Just Catholic Church, praying for other people. Her faith is strong and has guided her wherever she has been.
A Funeral Mass is scheduled for Saturday, July 1, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at St. James the Just Catholic Church, located at 495 North Harrison Blvd., Ogden, Utah 84404. Visitation and the Rosary will be Friday night, June 30, 2023, from 6-8 p.m. at Myers Mortuary, 845 Washington Boulevard, Ogden, Utah 84404. Burial will be in Plainville, Kansas later this summer.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make contributions to your local library, church, or favorite charity. Remembrances may be left at: https://www.myers-mortuary.com