Harriet Burns passes at age of 79

Harriet Burns, a Disney Legend (inducted in 2000) and one of the original WED Imagineers, passed away on July 25 at the age of 79. Harriet was the first woman ever hired by Imagineering in a creative capacity, and continued to remain involved with the Disney company and its fans throughout her lifetime.

DoomBuggies was fortunate enough to have enjoyed the presence of Harriet at our Swinging Wake event last February, and she couldn't have been a more enjoyable, entertaining, and thoughtful guest. She expressed her gratitude to DoomBuggies for creating an opportunity for her to speak to and meet some of her fans, and she seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself at the event. As an early Imagineer, one of Harriet's responsibilities included working on the maquettes and models of the Haunted Mansion in its development, though her work was critical to many attractions throughout the parks. The history and development of the parks owes a great debt to Harriet, and she will be greatly missed.

RIP, Harriet.