Joan Harkness

Joan Wood Harkness died peacefully on December 15, 2020 at Brookdale Memory Care. Joan was born May 14,1923 in Evanston, IL to Kathryn (Clarke) and John Buchan Wood. She grew up in Chicago graduating from Nicholas Senn High School in 1941. She then attended Northwestern University. It was at a Christmas sorority party in 1942 that she met the love of her life, Llewellyn Harkness, Jr. (Lew). At that time, Lew was a trainee in the Naval Officers Candidate School. They were married March 6, 1943. After World War II they moved to the Detroit area where they raised their 4 children (Llewellyn, Kathryn, Lauren, and Beth). Joan worked for American Motors Corporation from 1960 until 1987. After Lew died in 1974, Joan decided to complete the college education she had abandoned when she got married. She graduated from Lawrence Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s in business administration in 1984. Joan was an avid reader, golfer, and bridge player (even achieving Life Master in bridge) but the real joy in her life was the time she spent with her family at her home on Lake Michigan in the upper peninsula. Even though the children were mostly grown when she and Lew built the house, they all spent most summer weekends and vacations at “Shore Enuf”. When Joan retired, she sold her beloved lake house and moved to East Lansing, Michigan to be near her daughter Lauren. She was an active member of Okemos Presbyterian Church, a docent at the Michigan History Center, a member of several golf leagues, and the Bridge Center of Greater Lansing. She remained active and living on her own well into her nineties.

Joan is predeceased by her parents, John and Kathryn Wood, siblings William Wood and Kay Foster, husband Llewellyn, Jr., son Llewellyn Harkness III, daughter Kathryn Harkness Berry, and granddaughter Jennifer Lynn (Harkness) Birchmeier.

She is survived by her daughters Lauren Harkness and Beth Harkness, daughter-in-law Marilyn Lockwood Harkness, Judy Ruppert, partner of Kathryn Berry, grandchildren Llewellyn IV and Julie (McGee) Harkness, Mathew Harkness, and Brett (Jennifer) Birchmeier. She is also survived by 4 great-grandchildren Llewellyn V (LJ) and Jessica Harkness, and Alyssa and Sarah Birchmeier, and numerous nieces and nephews on the Wood and Harkness sides of the family.

A memorial service will be held at the Presbyterian Church of Okemos after COVID restrictions are lifted. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Presbyterian Church of Okemos or the Michigan History Foundation.