Harriet H. Easton

Harriet H. Hellbusch Easton was born on January 9th, 1934 on a farm near Gilead, Nebraska to Bernhard and Helena (Vorderstrasse) Hellbusch. The family lived with Harriet’s maternal grandmother, Charlotte Vorderstrasse, and aunt, Henrietta Vorderstrasse. Harriet attended a one room school close to her home at Thayer County District 81. She continued her education at Hebron High School. She was confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Gilead, Nebraska on May 16th, 1945. Her scripture verse was Rev. 3:20 "Behold I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."

In 1950 Harriet married Frank Easton, and they had three daughters, Connie Easton Heckman, Betty Easton Meyer, and Cynthia Easton Petersen. She farmed alongside Frank on a farm south of Hebron, until 2001 when Frank passed away, at which time she moved into Hebron.

Harriet was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church, and was a Sunday School and Bible School teacher for many years. She also served on many church committees including GLCW Executive Board as Treasurer.

Harriet served on the Thayer County Health Services Board of Trustees for 24 years, and held many offices including treasurer. She worked tirelessly on various fund raisers, and assisted various committees.

Harriet served from 1993-2006 as a Board of Education member for Hebron Public Schools and continued to serve when it became Thayer Central Community Schools. She held the position of Board Secretary for 8 years; she also spent many hours writing school board policies for the newly merged districts. Awards she received included the Hebron Alumni Fifty-five Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition for Outstanding Community Service in May 2008, and Award of Achievement from the Nebraska Association of School Boards in August 1997. Harriet was especially proud of Easton Farms receiving the Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award presented by the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation for continuous ownership within the family of the same Nebraska farm for over 100 years.

Harriet’s family was most important to her. She spent a lot of her time with her grandchildren through the years. She was fortunate to be able to spend countless hours with her great grandchildren, caring for or driving them to activities.

Her hobbies included golf, numerous bridge groups, sewing and gardening, going to Husker Football games, and traveling through the states and Europe. She enjoyed traveling with family and friends. She especially enjoyed traveling with her family to Germany. She loved tracing family history and genealogy; one of her projects included collecting and printing a book of the Vorderstrasse and Hellbusch Family. Her latest trip was a family trip through Italy in July, 2018.

After a short battle with cancer, she passed away in her home on January 17th, 2019 with her three daughters by her side. Harriet is survived by her daughters Connie Easton Heckman, Betty Easton Meyer (Steve), and Cynthia Easton Petersen. Grandchildren include Derek Farnstrom (Christy), and daughter Riley; Alissa Heckman-Dick (Craig) and sons Crosby and Rennon; Spencer Meyer; Jessica Heckman-Handelman (Scott) and daughters Charlotte and Quinn; Andrew Heckman (Alyson); Kyla Petersen; Cassandra Cahill (Cody) and daughters Ansley and Elliston; and Paige Hinz (J.C.) and daughter Hartley. Also she is survived by her brother Melvin Hellbusch (Kay); and brother-in-law William Easton (Joyce), and many nieces and nephews, and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Frank, her parents Bernhard and Helena Hellbusch, sisters Pauline Meyer and Luella Corliss-Sphon, and her husband’s parents Clinton and Florence Easton.

Memorials may be made to the Buffet Cancer Center or the Family’s choice. Price-Urbauer-Ahrendts Funeral Home, Hebron, Nebraska was entrusted with these arrangements.