Obituary for Harriet Mether Rosenberg

December 16, 1937 — January 12, 2019

On January 12, Harriet Mether Rosenberg of Boalsburg died peacefully at her home.  She was born on December 16, 1937, in Finland, first daughter of Sven and Elsa Mether.  She is survived by her two sons and their spouses, Steven Rosenberg and Susan Rattenbury of Oakland, California, and Aaron Rosenberg and Roxana Martínez of Mexico City, Mexico, and their grandson Richard, her two sisters Karin Anderson of New Milford, Connecticut, and Mary Sabatke of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and three nieces Kristina Anderson Martinelli, and Alina and Kara Sabatke.

Harriet and her parents emigrated to the northern Minnesota town of International Falls in 1940, initially planning to return to Finland, but then deciding to stay in the United States permanently due to World War II.  After graduating from Falls High School, Harriet attended St. Olaf College, where she obtained her B.A. in English and music in 1960.  She then started her life-long profession of education, teaching high school in Minnesota towns for several years.  In 1964, she married Richard Rosenberg, and moved to State College where he had accepted a position.  Harriet then obtained her Masters of Education from Penn State in 1971.

Although she always remained musically inclined, Harriet was widely known in Central Pennsylvania and beyond as both a prolific artist and a passionate educator.  She entered a masters program in costume design at Penn State, which led to her interest in textile art, particularly weaving textile sculptures.  Over time, her artistic focus shifted to photography and papercutting, in which she honed her skills throughout the remainder of her life.  She was known to always have her camera and scissors and paper with her, and would never hesitate to pull out either to make art whenever and wherever the world moved her to do so.  Her photography and papercuts have been widely displayed in numerous exhibitions including the Bellefonte Art Museum, the Art Alliance in Lemont, the Penn State HUB Gallery, the Southern Alleghenies Museum or Art, and, in keeping with her bringing art to the public philosophy, at various businesses such as banks, cafes, and even a McDonald's restaurant.

It was through teaching that she sought to impart her passion for art and exploration to others.  From her general education art classes at Penn State Altoona through the many artist in residency programs and workshops she conducted at every grade level and at senior centers and elsewhere throughout Pennsylvania and beyond, she sought to instill in her students her love of and wonderment at the beauty of the world and all the various aspects of life she, and we all, experience.

A celebration of her most artistic and unique life will be held at a date to be announced later.

Memorial contributions to the Bellefonte Art Museum or the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania are suggested.

Arrangements are under direction of the Mark D. Heintzelman Funeral and Cremation Service, Inc., State College.