Ida Mae Harm – The Santa Barbara Impartial

Ida Mae Harm, who graced the lives of her household and buddies for practically 99.5 years, handed away on December sixteenth, 2022, within the room she beloved and along with her beloved cat, Monroe, close by. Ida was a pleasant one who cared deeply for her household and neighborhood, knew pleasure in dwelling and longed for peace on Earth for all.

Born on June twenty eighth, 1923 in Canonsburg, PA, Ida was a contented, lively youngster who taught herself to learn earlier than getting into 1st grade and beloved faculty.

When Ida was 19 and sister, Lois, was 15 the household moved to California. A household pal, Earle, helped the household transfer. Quickly thereafter, Ida married Earle. They’d 2 daughters, Janey and Nancy. Earle died in a racecar accident in 1948.

Throughout WWII, Ida and her dad bought jobs at Lockheed. Later she labored a clerical job on the Well being Division, till, following her ardour for training, she discovered her strategy to school. She earned a bachelor’s diploma, a instructing credential and, ultimately, a grasp’s diploma in early childhood training. She taught elementary faculty for over 30 years. She spent the final 12 years instructing kindergarten. In her personal phrases, “I discovered it good for my abilities and character” and “I taught kindergarten joyfully, with a lot singing, dancing and inventive dramatics.”
Ida discovered the humanitarian ideology, social activism and all-inclusive religious and non secular values of the Unitarian church, resonated along with her values and beliefs. She joined the Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society, aka “The Onion” and was an lively member for a few years. She led the non secular training program and traveled with the choir, “The Onionaires”, to Japan, the place they carried out in Buddhist temples and different locations. She as soon as wrote, “I discovered singing with the Onionaires to be probably the most joyful occasions of my life.”

Ida was a enjoyable and energetic grandma who spent numerous days along with her granddaughters, taking them on outings throughout the LA space to performs, museums, festivals and most notably, amusement parks, the place she beloved the rides too, particularly curler coasters.

Ida married Chuck Harm in 1986. The 2 retired across the identical time and traveled the nation of their Dolphin motor dwelling. Prepared for a change, they moved to Eugene, Oregon for a number of years till his dying in 2002.

Ida returned to her previous San Fernando Valley stomping grounds and reconnected along with her UU church. She facilitated the Onion’s Acutely aware Ageing program. She additionally met Ron Fundamental, who was understandably “smitten” with Ida and have become her devoted companion for a number of years.
Fulfilling her want to sometime reside close to the ocean and nearer to household, Ida moved to Santa Barbara in 2017. It was now her flip to be taken on enjoyable outings and there have been many: lunches on State St., Solstice parades, picnics at Alice Keck Park and even a seaside wheelchair journey. All the time up for an journey and time with household, she would usually exclaim, “That is the nicest factor that might have occurred to me right now!”
Ida beloved enjoying video games, discussing politics, and sing-alongs. She beloved cats, music, and the phrases “Pleasure” and “Grace.” She was fast to snort at foolish jokes and to make witty remarks. When addressed as “Ida Mae Harm” she would usually reply, “then once more she could not!” She wrote delightfully descriptive letters and emails recounting her life experiences. She was trustworthy and honest in expressing her likes and dislikes. Above all, she deeply appreciated and valued the folks in her life and took each alternative to say “thanks”.
Ida was preceded in dying by her sister, Lois Rizkowsky, in August 2022.

She is survived by her daughters, Janey (Walt) Hillemann and Nancy (Christine Roux) Sierra; granddaughters Erica (Tom) Victor-Fefer, Desiree (Jason) Valdry and Coralie (Chris) Wick; great-grandchildren Mya Alexander, Ava Alexander, Gavin Victor, Amber Wick and Nathan Wick; and great-great granddaughter, Naiomi Pleasure Alexander.

She can also be survived by stepdaughter Nancy (Benny) Canady and stepson, John (Kristiane) Harm: nieces Sweet Rizkowsky, Judy Cooper and nephew, Larry Rizkowsky together with many cousins and treasured buddies.

Final, however not least, she is survived by her lovely cat, Monroe.

Ida’s household needs to thank Chile, Fred, Richard and Sue on the Tree of Life for his or her devoted care of Ida and to Nadia and Wendy at Villa Santa Barbara for his or her care and friendship.

A celebration of life shall be held in June 2023, close to the time of her one hundredth birthday. For data please e-mail: jhillemann@yahoo.com.

Donations in reminiscence of Ida could also be made to: ASAP Cats (https://asapcats.org/) or Unitarian Universalist Affiliation (www.uua.org).