Joan Lee Harvey

Joan L. Harvey, 91, formerly of Dallas, and more recently of Taylor, TX, passed peacefully on 6 Mar 2022 in rural Eastern Williamson County, following an extended battle against the debilitating effects of vascular dementia. Joan Lee was born to Ulys “Sam” Rogers and Helene Burland L’Hommedieu 16 May 1930, Washington, DC, the eldest of three siblings. The growing family would move to the small community of Groveton, now engulfed by the never-ending expansion of Alexandria, VA. Wives were not “standard issue”, but she was determined to and did marry USMC Sgt. Edward Paul Leber, 6 Feb 1951, Yuma, AZ, prior to his first deployment to Korea. Of this marriage three daughters were born: Carolynn, Ruth and Paula. Her second marriage to William Joseph Harvey occurred 30 Oct 1976; of this marriage, Mary Harvey was adopted as their beloved daughter.

In 1948, she graduated from Mount Vernon High School, Fairfax County, VA, then entered and successfully graduated from George Washington University. In 1950, she worked for the Pentagon as a secretary/stenographer in the Intelligence Department throughout the 1950s, subject to her husband’s duty-station transfers. At 41, she returned to school, making the commute between her home in Bedford and Texas Woman’s University in Denton, while working at local hospitals to make ends meet. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing on 18 May 1974, her Certification as Registered Nurse from the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners a month later and finally her Certification to Practice as an Advanced School Nurse Practitioner on 19 Sep 1988. She initially worked at David Crockett Elementary in Dallas, and then split her time between Stonewall Jackson Elementary and Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary. With her many talents and variety of interests, she made it her personal goal to encourage each student to discover their own special talents, to persevere and always move toward success, no matter the challenges – especially through reading – to learn of the past and open doors to new experiences and adventures.

She was recognized as a much beloved, kind and generous person, who always went above and beyond all expectations through her boundless energy, enthusiastic ideas, dedication to vocation, and determined drive to educate all children, regardless of economic backgrounds, on the importance of reaching their goals and dreams based on each child’s abilities. To Joan, every morning was gift from God – a new opportunity and a new chance to excel.

Always attentive to family, friends – new and decades’-long-known acquaintances, neighbors, fellow staff members and her school kids, she has passed down her skills and shared experiences of needs of the community with those around her. She also served as mentor to new school nurses, giving them the hands-on experience they would need to be successful. She was feisty, quick-witted, extremely intelligent and very sociable, with a dry sense of humor, albeit sarcastic at times, which would leave those who really knew her in fits of giggles and laughter.

Much loved and cherished by her students, following the death of Mr. Harvey in 1991, she received hundreds of handwritten letters in decorated envelopes from her students, of sorrowful condolences – she saved every one. Upon retirement in 2001, after 18 years with DISD, she was again inundated with hundreds more letters, all promising she would be very much missed – again, she saved every one. She also saved every birthday card, Christmas, Valentines and Easter cards, marriage announcements, death announcements and news clippings, as well as her daughters’ camp letters, school photographs, report cards, plaster handprints and drawings.

Her passionate love for education and advancement of children naturally led her to join Kiwanis International, working through the Kiwanis Club of White Rock, Texas. She was always full of energy and plenty of ideas for volunteer projects and drives to raise needed funds to purchase supplies for used by the kids. Her ideas and projects led to donation of wheelchairs to school clinics, providing books and other learning materials to all children, while always remaining on the lookout for any new ways that might increase the chances for all students to advance. Her services, outstanding leadership and dedication to the Club, led to her being awarded Kiwanian Citizen of the Year – White Rock for a number of years running, also serving as Vice-President and as President of the White Rock Club. In 2004, she was awarded the George F. Hixson Fellowship, which recognizes donors and those who have contributed significantly to Kiwanis’ history of generosity.

Retirement and the move to Taylor did not slow her down one bit! She became involved in the “MAPS” reading program with Taylor ISD, and was recognized for her dedicated service to the kids of Naomi Pasemann Elementary School. She participated whole-heartedly in all sorts of events and activities within Taylor, from raising donations for the Animal Shelter or volunteering at adoption rallies; attending annual fishing tournaments for the kids held at the City Park; participating at the Public Library Summer Reading Programs, and Keep Taylor Beautiful projects, while helping in efforts to set up and establish Neighborhood Watch programs. She joined the Taylor Kiwanis Club, to excite existing members with more ideas to raise funds for the Public Library and its summer reading programs. With all this energy spinning through Taylor, she still found time to volunteer as a 2020 census taker, help with Meals-on-Wheels, the American Cancer relays, and other activities too numerous to mention. While in Dallas she was a member of the Steeple Chasers dance club, and continued with local dance clubs following her arrival in Taylor, but at a slower pace. She belonged to various quilt guilds in both Dallas and Taylor – Quilting was her gift and each creation was a wonder to behold.

Throughout her entire life, she was always coming and going, active and involved in any kind of volunteer work involving children. As her daughters grew, she became involved in the Brownie and Girl Scout programs of Fort Worth, and was even bold enough to tackle the job of District Girl Scout Cookie Chairman (there were boxes piled to the ceiling everywhere throughout the house and garage!). She also bred and raised Boxers for competition in various dog shows throughout the State (Bambi won a blue ribbon!).

One of her most personally satisfying and gratifying awards was to walk away the First Place Winner with her hand-picked Texas blueberries from Hooks, TX, at the State Fair of Texas Cooking Competition in February 1991, after more than 10 years trying. Her winning jar was shared with her Zaragoza 5th-graders and DISD associates. Her life lesson to them – never give up!

She was a long-time member of the North Park Presbyterian Church of Dallas, and participated in volunteer services for the homeless and less fortunate, especially during holidays, when she believed all should be with family and friends, even if only for a short time and a hot meal. Before moving to Dallas, she attended Grace Presbyterian Church in Hurst, TX. After leaving Dallas, she joined the Tenth Street United Methodist Church of Taylor. Thank you, Pastor Travis, for all of your help and support during those trying times.

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, many other loved ones and friends. She is survived by her brother, Richard W. “Buddy” Rogers and wife Mary; her sister, Margie “Little Kid” Phillips and husband, David; Cousin Ann Rush; her daughters, Carolynn Tannehill, Ruth Leber, Paula Wahab and Mary Easley; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren; and numerous other nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews – across the United States from Hawaii to its Eastern Shores.

Our family cannot fully express our gratitude for the aid and comfort extended in her last weeks by the kind, conscientious and gracious aides of Kindred Hospice, known now as Gentiva of Temple, TX, but most of the same good-hearted people still work there and continue their help with survivor counseling.

During one of her last hunts, she made mentioned there was to be no memorial service when she passed. Instead, her ashes were to be scattered at her deer stand outside Mason. On what would have been her 92nd birthday, her life was celebrated and her ashes scattered. She so loved the Hill Country, Mason in particular, antiquing, arrowhead hunting, camping, fishing, collecting rocks, long walks amid the wildflowers and the natural beauty of God’s Country. She dearly enjoyed and loved the company of all the Native Masonites she met through her 50 years of living and visiting among them just as soon as she could get out of Dallas. She would always sigh among the peaceful stillness of the land and say “if Heaven wasn’t like Texas, I’m not going!” Mason County is where she wanted to spend eternity, and so she is. She loved her God, Texas and its Bluebonnets, John Wayne, and the Dallas Cowboys, but not necessarily in that order!