Harriett Seretha Bobo, to some, known as just “Bobo,” passed away suddenly on July 14, 2018, at the age of 75. Harriett will forever be remembered by her family and her many friends. She is survived by her stepmother, Cala Reid Bobo; stepsisters, Nancy M. Newsom and Patricia Ann Reid, and her stepbrother, William Reid Newsom; cousins, David and Gladys Willis, Bill and Jim Nipper, Walt Abel, Susanna Willis Kriegh, Diana Willis Barton and was a loving aunt to her many nieces and nephews.
Harriett was born in Florence, Alabama to Margaret Seretha Nipper and Dr. James Robert Bobo. She attended Newcomb College in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her mom died when Harriett was in her early twenties and later her father married Cala Sue Reid Newsom. Cala was a loving stepmother and all the family had a warm place in their heart for Harriett and they became very close over the years.
Harriett began her career with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) in New Orleans. It was 1965 and women field inspectors, like Harriett were a novelty. Over the next 37 years, Harriett used her smarts, political savvy and prodigious social skills to reach the top of the civil service ladder, the Senior Executive Service. She worked in Denver, Dallas, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. She made many friends, a lot of whom worked for her. She oversaw many different areas of ATF’s operations. It should come as no surprise, Harriett most enjoyed working with the wine industry. She retired in San Francisco in 2002 as Director of Industry Operations.
During her long career with ATF, she made many trips to Dillon and Keystone to ski with friends and decided to retire in the area. Never idle, she started a second career as hostess at the Alpine Stube on the north face at Keystone. Harriett was a tireless volunteer with the area’s cultural and environmental organizations, giving her time and money to support Summit County, Colorado.
For the National Repertory Orchestra she was an usher and chair sponsor and also sponsored a clarinet player each year. She supported the Summit Foundation and loved to volunteer for the yearly duck race. She supported the Summit Concert Band, volunteered for the Continental Divide Land Trust’s Plein Aire Arts Festival as a docent and spent hours working at the Summit County Senior Citizen garden and led hikes for senior groups.
Harriett was a Ranger Patroller for the Friends of the Dillon Ranger District for the U.S. Forest Service and hiked with their members. She ushered at the Lake Dillon Theater and was honored with a plaque on the donor wall of the new building. Harriett was a major donor and volunteer at the Summit County Historical Society and the Dillon Farmers Market. She volunteered for the Keystone Neighborhood Company, was a big supporter of the Nature Conservancy, Dercum Center ot the Arts and Humanities and the Snake River Music Festival.
If you are interested in donating to honor Harriett’s life and her unending spirit of giving, you can follow in her footsteps with your time by volunteering or by donating money to one of the organizations that she loved.
A Celebration of Life event will be held August 28, 2018 at the Warren Station at Keystone from 4 to 6 p.m. All of Harriett’s friends and family are invited to come share stories and smile because we knew her. She would like that.
