Sigrid Selma (Harrison) Snow: ‘Renowned for her hosting skills’

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Sigrid Selma (Harrison) Snow

Sigrid Selma (Harrison) Snow was born on December 11, 1935 in Eureka, California, and passed away at her home in Fortuna one month before her 88th birthday on November 11, 2023.

Sigrid was born to Carl Harrison and Selma (Dahl) Harrison in Eureka, where she grew up and graduated from Eureka High School in 1953. She met her future husband George Snow while working with him at Market Wholesale on West Washington Street in Eureka and the couple married in 1956 and in the coming years had two children, daughter Jeweline and son William.

While her children were little, Sigrid started taking ceramics classes held in a neighbor’s home a few evenings a week while her husband was at work and quickly discovered a lifelong passion. From there she started working for Celeste Ceramic Supply in Eureka in the 80s, where she worked retail, taught classes, and repaired kilns throughout the county, including for the Humboldt County Office of Education. As her passion for the craft continued to grow, she then opened her own shop and was the proud owner of Snow’s Igloo Ceramics on Myrtle Avenue in Eureka during the 90s, which allowed her to continue to teach classes and create ceramic masterpieces. During that time, she became a certified ceramics teacher and judge, and was a member of the Redwood Ceramics Association, winning a number of local awards from them, along with the coveted national Peggy Award from Popular Ceramics. And to top it all off, she served as the ceramic division building supervisor for the Redwood Acres Fair every summer from 2000-2017! Sigrid truly loved her ceramics work, creating everything from dining ware, to lamps, to decor pieces, to “my first Christmas” ornaments for each of her grandchildren.

In addition, Sigrid worked a variety of jobs throughout the community. She worked at Johnson’s Quality Cleaners in Eureka in the late 80s to mid 90s, as a hostess at the Eureka Seafood Grotto, the well known Eureka restaurant (located on Broadway where Porter Street now is) from 1994 until their closing in 2001, and finally, as a cashier at Michaels Arts & Crafts from 2001 to her retirement in 2012.

Sigrid was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Walker Bailey Post 205 in Fortuna for a total of 49 years, and served as president three times. She was also a proud member of Fortuna’s Red Hat Society in her later years, where she served as secretary and fostered a true sense of community with her fellow members, along with a camaraderie that involved looking out for each other. Sigrid was renowned for her hosting skills, insisting on hosting the ladies in her home and providing lunch on her patio, as opposed to a restaurant, and would be careful to select a time of year to take best advantage of Humboldt’s rare sunny weather.

Sigrid loved her family – especially her daughter Jeweline, who was steadfast in her care for her, which allowed Sigrid to remain independent. She held a soft spot for her son William, always giving him another chance and bailing him out after hard times. Most important to her were her granddaughters and great grandchildren. She enjoyed dressing up for each holiday, delivering cupcakes and baked goods for them and their coworkers, and watching the little ones grow.

Sigrid is preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Selma Harrison, husband George Snow, sister Marion Fritz, half-brother Tom Hawkins, nephew Kaven Fritz, and grandson Michael Snow. Her brother-in-law, Nolan Fritz, also recently passed, in early February 2024.

Sigrid is survived by her daughter, Jeweline Huddleston (and husband Guy), her son William Snow; granddaughters Kelley (and husband Alex), Kaitlin (and husband Max), Jessica (and husband), and one additional granddaughter; great grandchildren Rhett, Nash, and Jules; along with numerous nieces, a nephew, and grandnieces and grandnephews.

Her family would like to extend their utmost gratitude to the Senior Resource Center, and most importantly, to PACE, especially the medical staff, home care staff, and transportation staff, whose services allowed Sigrid to remain in her own home in her later years.

A celebration of life will be held later this spring — friends and family will be notified when details are finalized.