Harriet Hazel (Hartwein) Luker

Harriet Hazel Luker (nee Hartwein) of Colorado Springs, Colorado passed away peacefully at Pikes Peak Hospice in Penrose Hospital on Saturday, June 27, 2020 at the age of 90 with her son and daughter-in-law at her side. Beloved wife of 54 years to the late Jack V. Luker; loving mother to the late Vern and surviving son Keith (Mary) of Colorado; beloved daughter of the late Lillian and Henry Hartwein; dear cousin, sister-in-law, aunt, and friend.

Harriet began her career working for Bell Telephone in the 1950’s, where she became a member of the Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority, serving as president of the Delta Tau chapter, She took a break to raise two sons while traveling with her husband among his multiple duty stations with the USAF from St. Louis to Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, Hawaii, South Carolina and overseas to Taiwan. After they retired from the Air Force and returned home to the St. Louis area, In 1973, Harriet resumed her career as a secretary with Pattonville School District, retiring after 27 years in 1990.

Harriet demonstrated a resounding strength and resilience throughout her life. Born in St. Louis a month before the start of the Great Depression to Hazel and Harry Jameson, she lost her mother within months of being born and her father a few years later. She was raised collectively by her grandmother, aunts and uncles until adopted by her aunt Lilian and new father Henry. Harriet studied the piano, playing all her life until recently, when arthritis made it too difficult. She was a great animal lover, providing a home over the years for numerous parakeets, multiple cats and above all her loving spaniels and poodles. An active member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Harriet supported Thoman-Boothe Post 338 throughout the years, most recently volunteering at the Friday fish fry before relocating to Colorado. Upon retiring, Harriet and Jack traveled the country in their small RV, visiting their sons, brother-in-law, relatives and long-time friends throughout the country. After losing her husband to cancer in 2006 and her elder son’s passing in 2012, she moved to the Brookdale Skyline retirement community in Colorado Springs, where she has lived for more than seven years. Harriet was an active member of the community, participating in weekly aqua aerobics classes, attending the big band and other music venues, rarely missing a weekly happy hour and continuing to travel until quite recently, when multiple falls, a second broken hip, serious head injury and broken leg finally combined to slow her down.

Harriet will be missed by her family and all her many friends, both new and old.

In lieu of flowers and in honor of Harriet’s love of animals, send a donation to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (https://www.hsppr.org/springs/donate) or Humane Society of Missouri (https://www.hsmo.org/tribute/)