Harriet Ratchford Schach

Harriet Frances Sawtelle Ratchford Schach died peacefully on Tuesday, February, 23rd surrounded by family at her home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Born May 23rd, 1928 in Baltimore, Maryland, Harriet began her life on Gibson Island and spent her childhood in Baltimore with her brother Bill. She graduated from Longwood College with a degree in Psychology and has enjoyed close, meaningful friendships with her Class of ’50 to the present day. In fact, Harriet is descended from Dr. Benjamin Rush and William Williams, both signers of the Declaration of Independence; the former also being recognized as “the father of American Psychology.”

In 1954, Harriet married the love of her life William “Bill” O. Schach, and engaged in many civic and fundraising activities while starting a family in Baltimore. She and Bill loved to entertain, always creating a great esprit de corps with her smiling eyes and fantastic wit. The family moved to Pittsburgh in 1970 with their two girls as Bill fueled Merrill Lynch’s expansion. On arrival, Harriet’s first priority and greatest passion was creating gracious and welcoming environments for her family, newfound Pittsburgh friends, and professional colleagues – a skill she honed to perfection over the ensuing 50 years. She understood the importance of hospitality. Parties with the Schachs tended to extend late into many an evening (and early morning)!

Harriet’s passion for connecting and sharing in the joys of life with others extended to her civic engagement in her beloved adopted city of Pittsburgh. She contributed her time and talents to the Travelers’ Aid Society, the Rebecca Residence, and Calvary Church, among others. Further afield, she and Bill were avid travelers and maintained a home in the U.S. Virgin Islands for many years. In 1984 they engaged a tutor and took a 6-month sabbatical to study the Renaissance, traveling throughout mainland Europe and the United Kingdom. After her cherished Bill’s sudden death in 1996, Harriet ably assumed the role of matriarch of her family, most of whom were living abroad.  Committed to keeping her family closely woven, she led the entire family on numerous annual excursions to various destinations in Europe and the Caribbean, always looking for new horizons well into her 80s.

Harriet was always generous in sharing the lessons she had learned over the course of her long life and as a social worker after college. Her grandchildren were awed by her wisdom and will never forget these lessons; about etiquette, graciousness, and subtle elegance. Most importantly, she taught them how to make the most of every interaction and conversation focusing on others’ value and worth instead of her own. Ever the optimist, she was always thrilled to be wherever she found herself, and seemed to always leave a lasting impression on anyone she met. To echo her daily mantra, as a family “we really are lucky bucks,” to have lived in her presence.

Her sparkling eyes, open smile, eloquence, intelligence, and contagious optimism are missed so very much by her grateful daughters Carrington North (Doug Holmes) and Tracy Simpson (Bruce), grandchildren Campbell and William Spencer North, Fraser, Elliott and Adair Simpson, and her younger brother William Ratchford II (Nancy) of Annapolis and beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

Harriet’s family extends tremendous gratitude to the many caregivers who have added immeasurably to her long and happy life.

Due to the current pandemic, a celebration of Harriet’s life will occur at a later date. Immediate family will hold a committal service at Calvary Church, where Harriet will rest in peace and joy next to her beloved Bill in the Internment Wall. Arrangements by John A. Freyvogel Sons, Inc. (freyvogelfuneralhome.com)

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