Harriet Michael

Harriet Michael, 82, passed away peacefully after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease on November 28, 2020 in Kennewick , WA.  She was born April 29, 1938 in Sandpoint, Idaho to Grace and Harry Durand.  They later relocated to Clarkston , WA where Harriet graduated from Clarkston High School in 1956.

Harriett attended Washington State University and was in the first graduating class when Washington State College became Washington State University in 1960.  She received her BA in elementary education with a minor in music.   WSU “infected” her, and she enjoyed going to WSU football games and gatherings as she was a true Cougar for a lifetime.    After graduating, she began her lifelong career as a third grade teacher in Spokane, WA.

She met and married Leonard Michael on June 30, 1962 and they relocated to Long Beach, California where she continued to teach while Leonard studied to become a funeral director.  They moved to Everett, WA  and  had their first daughter,  Lannette, in 1964.  They had their second daughter Jennifer in 1965 and soon thereafter relocated to Walla Walla.  They had their third daughter Mollie in 1970 to complete their family.

Harriet taught third grade in Walla Walla, first at Washington Elementary School and later helped to open the new Blue Ridge Elementary School.  She dedicated her life to teaching many youth of Walla Walla and accompanied several school musicals.  She would spend countless hours in the evenings correcting papers and homework for her students.  Harriet was passionate about her profession and wanted her students to excel.   She was also busy raising three daughters and took them all over the state and region for baton twirling parades, contests, and lessons.  She retired from her teaching career in 2005 after 32 years.

Harriet was also very active in the Catholic faith and attended Mass at St. Patrick’s, St. Francis and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic parishes.  She was very involved in Catholic Daughters of America and served as Regent for the Walla Walla chapter.  She was very active in the Walla Walla Valley retired teachers association.

In her “spare time” she loved to make homemade pies, jams, and canning many vegetables from her garden.  She also made clothes for her family and crafted plenty of items with her sewing machine.   She just was not a person to sit still.  She loved spending time with her grandchildren and just plain spoiled them while they were growing up.    She was a great daughter, mom, mother-in-law and grandma and cherished her family above everything, and she was so very generous to them with her time, talents and treasures.   She will be missed every day for all the little things she did in a big way for them.

Harriet is survived by her three daughters,  Lannette (Greg) Steindorf of Kennewick, Jennifer (Bob) Krebs of Kennewick, and Mollie (Mark) Elfring of Washougal.  She has four grandchildren :  Michael Stewart, Alexis Stewart, Lucas Krebs, and Josh Elfring.  She is also survived by her sister Virginia Claxton of Tucson, Arizona, sister Renee Nearing of Kennewick, brother Orland Favaro, Jr of Othello, and sister Debbie McCanse of Pasco, and several nieces and nephews.   She was preceded in death by her mother Grace Favaro, father Harry Durand, and step father Orland Favaro.

Funeral mass will be held at Assumption Catholic Church on December 7, 2020 at 11 am followed by a committal service at Mountain View Cemetery.

Donations in her name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association and to Catholic Charities through Herring-Groseclose Funeral Home 315 W Alder St.  Walla Walla, WA 99362