Harriette (Crabb) Coughenour, a resident of Lakeview Village, Lenexa, Ks., died March 21, 2018.  She and her twin, Harry, were born October 24, 1923, at her parent’s farmhouse in McPherson County, Kansas.  Her parents were Paul Ceton and Louise (Molzen) Crabb.

            Paul, the father, was a musician.  After college, he traveled the countryside, teaching piano. He eventually started the civic bands of four small towns, serving as their bandleader.   As the family grew, he taught each child an instrument and created his own family band.  Harriette played clarinet. The eight children were Milford, Lucille, Willard, Delbert, Carlos, Eugene, Harriette and twin, Harry.

She and her seven siblings attended Victory Rural School, a two-room school, for eight grades.  Attending McPherson High, she was a cheerleader for four years, as well as one year at McPherson College.  All of her siblings went on to become pillars of their communities, serving on local utility boards, two serving as mayor and one became a state legislator.  Music, however, was the core to their nature and became the bond that held them together.

Harriette and Robert met working at the local theater and later were married on May 1, 1943, during World War II.  Robert was soon inducted into the Navy and following boot camp, was ordered to San Diego for sonar schooling at Point Loma.  She joined him and worked San Diego.  After the war, they moved to Kansas City for Robert’s work.

            Born of this marriage were three children; Michael Alan (deceased), James Robert (Diane) of Leawood, and Karin Jane (Reed) of Overland Park.  There are five grand children: Kristen Baehr (Justin), Katie Jennings (Mark), Jennifer Suddreth (Andy), Julie Hooser and Chad Reed (Deloris).  There are ten great grandchildren.

            Harriette and Robert lived 20 years in Kansas City, Kansas.  The children attended Chelsea Grade School, Northwest Junior High and Wyandotte High School.  Their church life while there was at Grandview Park and later First Church, both Presbyterian. The family was active in boy scouting (Troop 222, Christian Church) and Blue Birds for Jane.  Both boys became Eagle Scouts together.

            After the children grew, Harriette began her working career, first in retail, then working several years as a supervisor in data processing at the Federal Reserve Bank, and later at Leland Mast Directory Company.  She is survived by her husband, who was an officer with Seaboard Allied Milling Corp, completing his career as the EVP of The International Association of Operative Millers.

            Harriette had been active in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Blue Birds, PTA and her church, serving on a number of committees.  She had a passion for her family, music, sewing, painting, gardening and KU basketball.  She will be remembered at church for her fondness of putting new words to old songs for church functions.

            Memorial services will be at Southminster Presbyterian Church, Prairie Village, Ks. at 11:00 with a visitation preceding the service at 10:00.  There will be a memorial service at Lakeview Village on April 4^th.  The family suggests memorial to the Southminster Presbyterian Church, Lakeview Village Foundation or to Parkinson’s.