Vick, Harriette V. (Nee Howard) Passed away on Sunday, March 21, 2010, at the age of 89. She was preceded in death by her husband Harvey, and children Wendy and Steve. Harriette was one of those rare individuals who wanted to leave a legacy through philanthropy. Harriette's interest in arts and culture touched virtually every major institution in our community, including the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Milwaukee Public Museum, and the Milwaukee Art Museum. As a young girl, Harriette Vick walked over two miles to attend piano lessons. Perhaps it was these early lessons of music that began a love of music, history and the arts that shaped her life. Harriette attended Sheboygan High School. She graduated sixth in her class of 465. When not studying, she occupied her time with the Glee Club, the drama society, the operettas and her piano. After graduating, she attended the Milwaukee State Teacher's College and earned her teaching degree. In 1941, Harriette started teaching in Brodhead, Wisconsin. Harriette met her future husband, Harvey, in college and they were married in July 1942. Shortly thereafter, Harvey, a member of the U.S. Army, was sent to the West Coast. Harriette, never one to sit about idly, applied for a teaching job in Watertown, Wisconsin. She had the honor of becoming the first married woman teacher in the history of Watertown. Harriette followed this position with a job working for the IRS. Upon her husband's return from the Army in 1945, Harriette left her job to be a fulltime wife and mother of two. Harriette had a passion for knowledge. Harriette and Harvey participated in a book club starting in the early 1950's which met once a month for over 40 years. Harriette and her husband spent over half a century together and did a considerable amount of traveling. They began exploring Wisconsin in 1948, in a systematic manner following a Wisconsin Centennial Guidebook written by Ruth DeYoung Kohler. Taking each of six sections of the state one at a time, they began to visit communities of Wisconsin in alphabetical order and often crisscrossed the state getting familiar with towns and villages. Harriette donated to the Wisconsin Historical Society all of their scrapbooks containing trip information, including newspaper clippings, brochures, family photos and maps. She was also an underwriter for nine books in the Wisconsin Historical Society's Badger Biographies Series. This series introduces young readers to the world of Wisconsin history through its famous and not-so-famous sons and daughters. Harriette was a regular at the Milwaukee Public Museum, as well as a financial supporter. She was a patron of the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra since its inception and was an enthusiastic supporter since that first concert. The Harvey E. and Harriette V. Vick Guest Artist Fund provided other MCO supporters with a unique opportunity to make a lasting gift to the orchestra. She loved participating in events, such as luncheons with MSO musicians, and became friends with a number of those musicians. She was the founder of the Partner with a Player program for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. This program pairs individual donors with members of the Milwaukee Symphony during each season. Harriette and her late husband established a Field of Interest Fund with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. This fund supports historic preservation, the Nature Conservancy, the Milwaukee Symphony, the Rep, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee Public Museum, and the American Geographical Society Collections and Rare Books Department at the UW-M library. Many of these Milwaukee institutions have honored the Vicks with plaques. As a result of her kindness and generosity, many of these arts will continue to flourish. Harriette will be remembered and missed by our community and her many friends. She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Diana and her cousin, Mary Heunemann.Memorials:Donations in her memory may be made to the Milwaukee Symphony or to the Greater Milwaukee Foundation for the Harvey E. and Harriette V. Vick Fund.Visitation:A Memorial Gathering will be held in Harriette's memory on Tuesday, March 30, between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM