Harriet C. Chambers

Harriet Shaw Chambers passed away April 18, 2014 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma at one hundred and a half years old. She was born October 21, 1913 in Wheatland, Wyoming to James and Agnes (McFarlane) Shaw. Harriet was an authentic daughter of the Old West. Both of her parents' families were prominent ranchers in the Laramie Peak area near Wheatland and Douglas Wyoming. Harriet's paternal grandfather, Thomas A. Shaw, settled in Wyoming Territory after driving cattle up from Texas in 1878. As his own obituary stated in 1932; "Tom Shaw entered Wyoming as a cow puncher and until his death, he remained a disciple of the herds." Harriet was educated in Catholic boarding schools in Sidney, Nebraska and Boulder, Colorado. In 1933, she married Claude Patton who was also a Wyoming rancher. They had three sons; Thomas, Jackson and James and one daughter; Catherine. Harriet was an exemplary mother and always put her family first which was especially true during her years as a single parent. Harriet lived in Casper, Wyoming for many years where she worked for Lane Wells and the City of Casper. After marrying Stanley Chambers in 1960, she moved to Lander and began a long career as a legal secretary with the law firm Boyer and Svilar. In 1964, Harriet purchased, by herself, forty acres of mountain property in the Shoshone National Forest which she (and Stan) developed through the years as Pass Creek Properties. Harriet has spent many winters with her daughter and son-in-law in Okmulgee. However, when she was inevitably asked about the "harsh" Wyoming weather, she was more than a little annoyed and quite defensive. She took great pleasure in Oklahoma's winter of 2011 being much worse than Wyoming's. Although the calendar may have shown otherwise, Harriet was never "old." To her family and countless friends of all ages across the country, she was interesting, smart and fun. Harriet was an avid reader and was never without a book by her side. She loved writing and had beautiful penmanship. She liked playing Rummy and other card games and was very competitive. Harriet loved politics, current events and the Sunday morning news programs. She also liked Jeopardy and primetime television; but, true to her Old West roots, Harriet still favored western reruns, especially Bonanza and Gunsmoke. Harriet was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Jack in 1958; her two husbands; and her daughter-in-law, Joan Patton. Survivors include her son, Tom Patton of Casper, Wyoming; her daughter, Cathi Patton Rikard and husband, Hansen of Okmulgee, Oklahoma; and her son, Jim Patton of Lander, Wyoming. She is also survived by granddaughter, Peggy Patton Nelson and husband, Stan, and their two daughters, Cheri and Chantelle, all of Casper and granddaughter, Dr. Jennifer Rikard of San Diego, California and her two month old son, Porter Shaw Rikard. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 23 and with the family from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the McClendon Winters Funeral Home in Okmulgee. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p. m. Tuesday, April 29 at The Gorman Funeral Home Chapel in Douglas, Wyoming. The family requests that donations in Harriet's honor be made to the Okmulgee Public Library. On line condolences may be sent to www.mcclendon-winters.com.

Harriet C. Chambers

October 21, 1913 - April 18, 2014