Harriet Kaiser Bedard

Harriet Kaiser Bedard, 90, of Charleston, South Carolina, entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, September 20, 2022. The family will receive friends Sunday, September 25, 2022 from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm in J. Henry Stuhr Inc. West Ashley Chapel, and will pray the Rosary beginning at 4:00 pm. Her Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, September 26, 2022 in the St. Joseph Catholic Church at 10:30 am. Committal will follow at Live Oak Memorial Gardens.

Harriet was born August 26, 1932 in Saluda County, South Carolina, daughter of the late Houston Alton Kaiser and Lola C Price Kaiser. She graduated from Chicora High School and later married Frank Bonnier Bedard on October 17, 1954. She worked as a bookkeeper at Leroy Jewelers and various other local business. She was involved and actively supported political interests, and was an avid proponent of voting rights. 

Harriet and Frank were founding members of St Joseph’s Catholic Church here in Charleston. They were dedicated to God, Country, and Family. They were married for 63 remarkable years. One of their favorite activities was enjoying yearly camping trips with family. They had two wonderful daughters, two granddaughters, and three great grandchildren.

Harriet loved to cook, in fact she was celebrated for her culinary talents. She loved to sew for both of her daughters and grandchildren. She enjoyed playing bridge and teaching this to others. She frankly cherished being around family and friends. She promoted and instilled strong family values and work ethic in her children. Her strength and determination to live independently in-spite of blindness and physical limitations was admirable. She had an unbridled passion for her family and her beliefs. 

The family would like to especially thank the amazing caregivers and staff of Benton House, the cardiac floor at Roper Hospital, Lutheran Hospice, and all the staff at Franke at Seaside where they shared her contagious laughter and multiplied her joys.

She is survived by her daughters, Susan E. Bedard and Karen B Byrd (Joe); granddaughters, Kathryn B Cellars (Matt) and Karen Jean Byrd; great-grandchildren, Sullivan, Harper, and Emmie; sisters, Rhoda K Jones and Patricia K Hickman; and sister-in-laws, Cynthia Kaiser and Alta Kaiser. In addition to her parents, Harriet was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Bedard; brothers, Gerald Woody Kaiser, M.W. Curly Kaiser, Houston A Kaiser,Jr., and Robert Bob Kaiser; and sister-in-law, Ursula S Kaiser.

Memorial donations may be made in Harriet's honor to Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary in Hollywood, SC; or to St. Joseph's Catholic Church.