God saw you were getting tired, When a cure was not to be. So he wrapped his arms around you, And whispered "Come unto me". JoAnn started her final journey on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 with her family at her side. Beautiful loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, wife and friend will be missed forever. Born in Glendale, CA, August 1941, she grew up in Burbank, CA where she graduated from Burbank High School.
Married to Jon F. Harbaugh for 59 years (1958-2017), she raised two beautiful daughters, put her husband through undergraduate and graduate degree programs, managed their home and still had time to be friends with the many people in her life. As in the rest of her life, she was very strong willed, determined, and positive throughout her 6 year battle with multiple myeloma. She, her husband Jon and two daughters moved to San Jose, CA in 1961 where she later pursued a management career with two high tech organizations --- United Technology Center and Advanced Micro Devices. As the manager of the Technical Information and Publications organizations she directed the preparation of technical proposals and the archiving of all technical process documents for these corporations. After early retirement (1995), she and her husband moved to their home in Ashland Oregon where they lived until moving to Knoxville Tennessee in the fall of 2016 to be near their daughters,grandchildren, and great granddaughter.
JoAnn loved visiting with her sister, sister-in-law, daughters and grandchildren; she especially looked forward to her daily visits with her great granddaughter, Darby Rae. JoAnn enjoyed traveling --- road trips with Jon and their adult daughters were a favorite get-away. And, she loved long stays at Lake Tahoe where she could be with her entire family and many friends. JoAnn was an avid gardener [she was a Jackson County (Oregon) Master Gardener]. She used her large fenced garden for growing lovely flowers and tasty vegetables, for getting time in the sun, and for relaxing with Boo, our Maine Coon cat. She enjoyed working with students at elementary schools in the Ashland School District to help with reading programs and when the Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon needed help with special projects she was there to support them.
JoAnn was very involved with Jon's parents; giving attention to them on a routine basis to see that their needs were met and that they had someone to talk with and "dance" with, to bring peace and joy to their lives. And then there were the plays; the plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (a magical place) and at the Oregon Cabaret Theater (a place where she could unwind and have fun!).
Preceded in death by her father Carl Johan Bailey, mother Kathleen Agnes Bailey, fatherin-law Noble Frederick Harbaugh, mother-in-law Vera Elizabeth Harbaugh, brother-inlaw James Wesley Kent, and nephew Carl William Bailey. JoAnn is survived by her husband Jon Frederick Harbaugh, daughter Kathleen Joyce Holliday (Kevin), daughter Debra Lynn Beller (Joel), granddaughter Jenna Rachelle Hermle (Austin),
grandson Ryan Edward Holliday (Abigail), granddaughter Megan Elisabeth Weakley (Taylor), 9 month-old great granddaughter Darby Rae Holliday, sister Carleen Marie Kent, brother Keith William Bailey (Theresa), sister-in-law Joyce Carol Davis, niece Denise Kathleen Salgado (Danny), nephew David Michael Kent, niece Stacy Lynn Spencer (Jay), niece Carol Ann Nolan (Kevin), nephew Michael Louis Bailey, and her grandnieces and grandnephews.
JoAnn wanted to recognize the following medical professionals for their help and support over the last 6 years: Dr. Molly Gramley, Dr. Aleksandra Simic Sander, Dr. Mathew Miller, Dr. Stephanie Becker, Dr. Daniel Ibach and Amy Neil, Dr. Nicholas Xenopoulos and Kara Neely, Dr. Richard Boyer, and Maggie, the very professional and kind CCU RN that watched over JoAnn during her last nights at Park West Medical Center in Knoxville.
In June, 2018, JoAnn will have a Celebration of Life gathering in South Bend, Indiana followed by interment at the Ullery Cemetery in South Bend. JoAnn requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation at the following web site ( https://www.themmrf.org ).
Please God, watch over our "Oma" and give her the peace she deserves. Sweet Oma, This, I will remember when the rest of life is through: the finest thing I've ever done is simply loving you. Opa (R. Sexton)
Published in The Burbank Leader on Dec. 16, 2017
Published in The Burbank Leader on Dec. 16, 2017
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