Remembering Founding Mother Millie Harford

Millie Harford, one of Stuart’s founding mothers and a former pre-kindergarten teacher at Stuart, was embraced by God on Tuesday evening, January 18, and was surrounded by her loving family after moving to in-home hospice care.

 

Nearly 60 years ago, Millie, Peggy McNeil, and Mary Murray Garrett dressed in matching navy suits and white gloves and boarded a train in Trenton bound for Washington, D.C. to meet with Reverend Mother Barry - then vicar of the Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ). They traveled to petition the RSCJ for sponsorship to build a Catholic school for girls in Princeton. When asked by Mother Barry what they each had to contribute to such a daunting undertaking, their responses became legend: “Money,” answered Peggy; “Land,” declared Mary; and “Zeal,” added Millie enthusiastically. The rest is history!

 

Millie remained, until her passing, an active part of our Stuart community as a friend, mentor and resident “rock star” to our students. Her legacy lives on through our Lower School community space, which was renovated in 2015 and affectionately named Millie’s Garden in her honor.

 

It is said that zeal is the great desire to make God known, loved and served. That desire was robustly met in Millie’s life. She loved and inspired us all. May God hold her close to His heart and welcome her with the same zeal she welcomed all. Millie was predeceased by her husband, James Harford. Our thoughts and prayers are with her sons Chris and Jim, her daughters Jennifer ‘77 and Susan ‘72, and her entire extended family.