| Harriet Corean Ward
EXETER - Harriet Corean Ward born 1/28/1951 at Saint Albans Naval Hospital in Queens, NY passed away on 1/16/2024 ten days shy of her 73rd birthday. During Harriet’s last few weeks on this earth, she rested comfortably at the home of Mark Koyama and his wife Cary Hardwick where she was provided hospice care after a lifelong battle with diabetes, kidney problems and the resulting affects.
Harriet’s parents, the late Virginia Ward (White) and Harold Ward moved the family from Brooklyn, NY to Lee, NH in the late 50’s where Harriet and her siblings, Ted (deceased), Linda and Michael integrated the Oyster River School system. Growing up in Lee and attending Oyster River schools, Harriet participated in band, chorus, piano, track and field and swimming. Harriet’s passion for education and sharing her knowledge led her to attend both Case Western Reserve and UNH where she received a bachelors degree in education.
During the 70s and into the 80’s, Harriet worked at the Little Peoples Center in Durham, NH, Somersworth, NH public schools, The Richie McFarland Center in Stratham, NH and SERESC where she worked with children with visual impairments and developmental delays & disabilities. It was in 1980 that Harriet moved to Providence, RI where she attended Rhode Island College and earned a master’s degree in special education. After completing her studies, Harriet moved back to NH where she settled down in Sandown. It was during this time that Harriet began attending and playing the organ at Kensington Congregational Church and continued to sing with the Rockingham Choral Society. Harriet moved to Kensington, NH in 1984/85 and around the same time, accepted a job at Perkins School for the blind in Watertown, MA. In 1987 Harriet moved to Exeter, NH where she lived until 2023.
Harriet retired from Perkins School for the Blind after more than 25years of dedication and service to the families and students that she worked with but continued to work as a consultant and interim educator for a number of School districts in and around the NH seacoast area (The Monarch School of New England, SAU 90 and SAU 53); Harriet enjoyed passing on her knowledge and understanding of early childhood development to those who were involved in the profession and who were willing to listen.
Outside of teaching and singing, Harriet was an active member of several UCC Churches in New Hampshire, worked as a Christ-led antiracist, was a member of the National Board of Directors of the United Church of Christ and became a trainer for the UCC's "Sacred Conversations to End Racism" initiative. During the past few years, Harriet was instrumental in the development and subsequent work of the Sacred Ally Quilt Ministry -- an exhibition of quilts that together immortalize the dying words of George Floyd; the quilts have moved all over the country, creating opportunities for communities to confront racism and racial violence.
Harriet is survived by her son Andrew Ward, daughter in-law Carolyn Hogan, grandchildren Molly and Deacon Ward, Sister Linda Ward-Fox, Brother Michael Ward and a number of nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
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