Harriet W Strom

The rejoicing and glory of Heavan welcomed Harriet Washines Strom – Slyuxʹs – on Thursday, October 30, 2025, in her Toppenish home. She was born on Sunday April 16, 1939, to Lena Meninick and Edward Casseeka Washines. She attended school in the Granger School District and at Chemawa Indian School, Salem, Oregon. While at Chemawa, she wanted to study to be nun. She also attended Catholic Church services regularly. Harriet joined her family in working in the Pete LaPierre Family and the Jack Baldwin Family orchards on Cherry Hill, Granger, Wash. She worked at the Yakama Nation Furniture Factory, Wapato, Wash., with the Toppenish School District as a teacher’s aide, with the Yakama Nation Summer Youth Employment Program, with the Yakama Nation Commodity Foods Program, which included delivering food to tribal members along the Columbia River. She would earn her way to become a LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Manager, a position she would eventually gain deserved retirement. Harriet would also become a family hairdresser and barber – especially at Easter and Christmas and when the boys needed back-to-school cuts. At the time when Harriet set about her restful journey, she was the 1910 Satus Shaker Church Minister, a role she held divine dedication and love for. Harriet stood for the Lord alongside her husband Leon Charles Strom and became Shaker Church members in the mid-1960s. Her service to the Satus Shaker Church included ensuring those special times – tribal food feasts, Easter, Christmas, funerals, memorials, first food gatherers, student accomplishments and birthdays was offered to the Lord in the way she was instructed and experienced. Harriet took great joy and pride in gathering the traditional foods and medicines. When her body seemed to make it difficult for her to travel to the mountains, her faith, strength and devotion to that experience compelled her to continue to be a part of all the necessary trips. Her health struggles and challenges, including breast cancer. Her devoted husband arranged travel for her to join him in a westside Washington Shaker Church, where the Lord’s Hand cured her and allowed her to become a 32-year cancer survivor. Harriet married her “Green Sweater” love, Leon C. “Squeal” Strom on Tuesday August 2, 1960 in Taholah, Washington. Their relationship began not too long after Harriet became the first Yakama Nation All-Indian Basketball Tournament Queen in 1959. Harriet was an avid reader and had to keep up with “The Young & Restless.” She loved to harvest and gather food to can or preserve. Her self-taught cooking-on-a-budget ways, included making the most of and all of a turkey carcass, baking things like tasty strawberry-rhubarb pie, canning all fruits, preserving all Native foods, and leading the church’s feast times. She was also a storyteller and knew when to offer lesson words in a kind, thoughtful, but strict manner. Harriet was a proud and loving supporter of the Satus Shaker Church Youth Group (SSYC). She always expected a report from the SSYC to give to the 1910 Indian Shaker Church convention each year. She said she was not bragging but wanted to testify to the Lord’s and church members’ work and prayers for the youth. Today, SSYC members are now in their 40s and 50s – and remain an answered prayer. She was an integral part of the fund-raising work such as baking sales, concession stands, raffles, and church donation plates to build a new Satus Shaker Church and Dining Hall. Harriet accompanied Leon to family sporting events, including being at his side when he played baseball and fastpitch softball throughout the Pacific Northwest. She was right there as a “Coache’s Wife” when Leon directed, coordinated and led countless volunteers to host and run the National Invitational All-Indian Men’s & Women’s Slo-Pitch Tournaments played in Yakima and eventually in Tri-Cities, Wash. Harriet’s four-legged pets included dogs, Whimpy and Whimpy II and her horse she oversaw caring for at one time. She will forever be a mother, grandmother and great grandmother to those including Aubrey Strom, Harkan Maguire, Cecilia Greene, Romell Strom, Jeffery Strom, Michelle Strom, Darian Arquette, Pearl Strom, Jonet Arquette, Liana Wheeler, Josiah Arquette, Stellan Strom, Cam, Tyler, Kayden, Delonte, Huntyr, Jasper, Jalon, Leveyah, Julian, Matthew, Ro, Zay, Kayce, Jax, Tate (Baby Squeal), Baby Rommie, Colton, Jalon Rowland, Amiyah, Amari, Aaliyah, Armani, and Jace, MaLena, Eagle, Jessica, Dominic, Kara, Kody, Quanning, J’Lynn, Jaycene, Tania, Luke, Jacoby, Trevor, Draidan, Cari-Gene, Kenneth, Kailum, K’wayam, Alice, Zora, Brandon, Jared, Lianna, Leandro, Xiamara, Healani, Brittany, Elihah, Alexa, Elora, Carman Jae, Isabella, Quin, Huli, Timnayi, Xilanii, Maceo, Mila and Zoe to name a few. Her sister, Angeline Audrey Phillips, her brothers, Anthony Washines, Archie Washines, Ronnie Washines, Davis Edward Washines and Edward Arlen Washines, her nieces, Beverly Tomaskin Allen, Doris Peters, Sandra Shike Danzuka, Raymond Shike, Jr., Mina Shike, Lana Shike Leonard, Victoria Washines, Sonda Washines Mullen, Aric Washines, Emily Washines Blodgett, Elese Washines Shellenberger, Ronna Washines, Dayel Washines, Maggie Washines, Winona Washines, Wah-Leah Washines and Aulena Phillips Carl, her nephews, James Shike, Joey Shike, Emmet Washines, Windcloud Washines, Whirlwind Washines, Brandon Washines, Ta-wai-a Alvarado, Brian Washines, R. Cassesseka Washines, Asa Washines, Andrew Washines, John Washines and Kevin Phillips. Members of the Strom, Washines, Meninick, Watlamet, Heemsah, Tomaskin, Cloud, Shike, Maldonado, Hunt, Frank and McKinley families are among those family clans who welcomed Harriet Washines Strom into Heaven with song, prayer and hugs. Among those that were waiting include Josephine Tanewasher, Maggie Syyou, Anona Casseseka Bertram, Leon Strom, Rommel Strom, Jeffrey Strom, Lena Meninick Phillips, Edward Cassesska Washines, Hazel Elizabeth Watlamet, Raymond “Jimmy” Watlamet, Leonard Tomaskin, Theodore and Lillyan Strom, Clifford Casseseka, Jasper Washines, Ernie Washines, Ted Strom, Jr., Larry Strom, Sheila Strom, Raymond Shike, James Shike, Lorraine Shike Lawrence, Ruth Maldonado, Leonard Tomaskin, Jr., Matthew Tomaskin, Vivian Tomaskin, Karen Tomaskin, Patrick Tomaskin, Joanna Meninick, William Meninick, numerous, uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. The family left behind expresses “Special Thanks” to Samantha, Amy and Pastor of Heartlinks Hospice Care. Her Dressing Service was held on Saturday November 1, 2025, in the 1910 Satus Shaker Church, Indian Church Road, Granger, Wash. Her last Sunday Service was held the morning of November 2, where overnight Shaker Service was held. Final Shaker Church Service was held to meet the sunrise burial services in the Smohalla (Satus Point) Cemetery, Plank Road, Toppenish, Wash. Satus Shaker Church Assistant Minister Jimmie Tyler, Jr., officiated the services. Carrying Harriet Washines Strom to her final resting place were Asa Washines, John Washines, Landon Smartlowit, Windcloud Washines, Kevin Phillips and Franklin Lagarde. Honorary Pallbearers included her co-workers at the Yakama Nation Commodity Foods Program, Alan Eneas, Reggie George, Valarie Craig and Linda Walker, the Satus Shaker Church Members, the Satus Shaker Church Youth Groip, visiting 1910 Shaker Church Ministers, her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Harriet W Strom

April 16, 1939 - October 30, 2025

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Harriet W Strom

April 16, 1939 - October 30, 2025

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