Harriet Bowers Drewes, age 77, of Slidell, LA, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at her home on Monday, May 13, 2024.

Born on November 2, 1946, to William J. Bowers and Frances Castagnetta Bowers, she was a resident of St. Tammany Parish and a native of Orleans Parish.

She married Donald Edwin Drewes on November 14, 1964, in New Orleans, and was the loving mother of Denise Drewes Castillo and Donavan Drewes (Melissa), and preceded in death by her son Donald E. Drewes Jr. (infant) and daughter Donna Maria Drewes (infant).

She was the grandmother of Courtney Castillo (Thomas Huff), Christen Castillo, Sydney Fontenot (Andrew) and Matthew Castillo. Also, great grandmother of Ashtynn Aucoin, Evan Castillo, Layla Castillo, Cooper Fontenot, Charlee Fontenot, and Robert Wesley Howard IV.

Also, sister of Rosalie Bowers Santos (Earl) and preceded in death by Frances Bowers Robinson and Antoinette Bowers Gauthe.

Harriet retired from Shell Oil in 2012 after dedicating over 30 years to the company in the human resources department. She loved her job and coworkers, and in the last few years of her H.R. career at Shell, she ran the medical office that accounted for the employees who worked offshore on the oil rigs.

Harriet was a founding member and the historian of The Krewe of Bilge, always looking forward to the annual Coronation and Halloween dance. She was an active member in The Mustang Club of America, Northshore Mustang Club and The Pokeno Club of Eden Isles.

Her hobbies included playing cards and farkle with her family and friends, crocheting, sewing, gardening, shopping, cooking, organizing, telling stories, attending car shows and functions. Harriet did not like to lose. Her Pokeno club girlfriends and family knew this about her! Card games and farkle would get quite loud at their house when scores were tied, and the only time she got mad was when she lost a game!!

She loved to talk and chat on the phone. For that matter, if you were with her or if she happened to call or answer the phone, you better have a couple hours freed up! Harriet and her husband had a love for projects, and Harriet was as tough as any man, having the ability to lay tile, wallpaper a house, paint walls, rip flooring up, float sheetrock, paint trim, texturize sheetrock, caulk bathrooms, etc…. She could do it all!

Harriet was a blast to be around and was constantly making everybody laugh. She loved to dance and her legs never stopped moving. Being a mother and grandmother was her most important job. She was fiercely protective of her family. She was the glue that held everything together.

Harriet and Donald both enjoyed hosting the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas party at their house. Christmas was her favorite holiday. She was famous for conducting The Dirty Santa game at Christmas and it made her heart swell seeing the look on people’s faces as they opened all of the gifts she meticulously picked out for each special person in her life. Harriet loved traveling with her husband (at least 2-3 trips a month). They loved going to Houston to visit Donald’s cousin, Helen.

Harriet and Donald traveled everywhere together and had many places that they planned to visit before she unexpectedly got sick. That is how their family knew they were best friends because nobody spends as much time together as they did without having a great love between them.

Their love language and banter had its own unique style, and it worked great for them. They loved each other so much. Harriet considered everyone that she met a friend and always saw the good in everyone. Her heart was so big, and she was loyal to a fault. She would give a stranger the shirt off her back, and was known for her passion to take care of others.

The family knew Harriet was full of life, and all the kids, grandkids and great-grandkids figured she would live to 100 since she was so active. But God had other plans for Harriet and called her to come home to heaven.

Friends and family are invited to visitation at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 400 Westchester Place, Slidell, at 10A.M. with mass to be followed at 11A.M. on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Harriet’s Celebration of Life party will follow mass at The Northshore Firehouse Event Center at 267 Debbie drive, Slidell, LA 70458.

Inurnment will be held Monday, June 24, 2024, 11A.M., with a graveside service at The Biloxi National Cemetery, located at 400 Veterans Avenue, Biloxi, MS 39531.

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