Joyce Marie Swenson Harper

1944 - 2017  (73 years)

• Name	Joyce Marie Swenson Harper
  Born	16 Jul 1944	Concordia, Cloud County, Kansas
  Gender	Female
  Died	5 Dec 2017	Pittsboro, Chatham County, North Carolina
  Buried	16 Dec 2017	Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia
  Person ID	I13065	Rossville
  Last Modified	3 Aug 2018

  
  

  Father	Walden Howard Swenson
  Mother	Pauline Fenton Swenson
  Family ID	F2972	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Stephen Kent Harper
  Married	27 Jun 1970	Glenview, Cook County, Illinois
  Children	1. Jill Harper Barham   2. Stephanie Harper Carmody
  Documents		Marriage- Swenson, Joyce-Harper, Stephen Wedding vows were exchanged by Miss Joyce Marie Swenson, Chicago, and Lieut. Stephen Kent Harper of Moline, Ill., at two o’clock p.m., Saturday, June 27, in the Memorial Chapel, Glenview Naval Air Station, Glenview, Illinois. Parents of the couple are Mr. and Mrs. Walden H. Swenson, Lanark, Ill., former Rossville residents, and Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Harper of Oregon, Illinois. Baskets of yellow and white daisy palms, and yellow and white mums graced the chapel. Officiating at the double-ring ceremony was Chaplain James. Mrs. Dorris Hammel of Glenview was organist. The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a floor- length white saki wedding gown featuring a portrait neckline and short puffed sleeves, both edged in Venice lace and pale yellow ribbon. The banded and bowed empire waist fell into an A-line skirt, with an attached chapel- length train. Her elbow-length veil of silk illusion was caught to an empire head crown of saki and braid. She carried a colonial bouquet of white daisies and white roses, with cascading greenery. The bride’s sisters, Mrs. JoAnn Londerholm of Barrington, Ill., and Mrs. Diane Vaught of Detroit, Mich., were matron of honor and bridesmaid. Their gowns were of yellow linen, embroidered with green flowers, featuring a round neckline and short, puffy sleeves. Green ribbon accented the empire waistlines. They wore large green bows in their hair and short white gloves. They carried colonial bouquets of various shades of yellow mums, tied with white ribbons. Miss Sherri Jo Londerholm. Barrington, Ill., niece of the, bride, was flower girl. Her dress matched those of the attendants. Scott Kersten, Rockford, Ill., nephew of the bridegroom, carried the rings. Mr. Dennis Harper of Oregon, Ill., attended his brother as best man. Mr. James Lewison, Rockford, Ill., was groomsman. Seating the guests were Mr. H. A. (Dutch) TenEyck, Des Plaines, Ill.; Mr. Paul (Nick) Halverson, Ghana, Ill.; Mr. Gary Lace, Madison, Wisconsin. The mother of the bride wore a dress and coat of green faille. Mrs. Harper chose a dress and coat of pale blue knit. Each wore a corsage of yellow cymbidium orchids. A reception was held immediately following the ceremony, at the Circle Five Ranch, Barrington. Daisies and mums of yellow and white decorated the tables. Assisting were Miss Sandra DeClue, and Mrs. Nina Mote, both of Chicago, at the gift table. Miss Mary Owens of Park Ridge, Ill., and Miss Gretchen Stadler, Chicago, served the cake and punch. Mrs. Linda Lewison, Rockford, was at the guest book. The bride received her B.S. in education from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois. Formerly, a speech therapist for the Chicago Metropolitan Easter Seal Society, Mrs. Harper will teach speech therapy in the school at Beeville, Texas. Joyce attended her entire 12 grades at Rossville, and attend¬ed one year at Kansas State University. Lieutenant Harper received a B.S. in business management, also at Northern Illinois University, and is presently flight instructor in the Naval Advanced Training Command, Chase Field, Beeville, Texas.
  Last Modified	1 Dec 2019 02:49:45
  Family ID	F5853	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Died - 5 Dec 2017 - Pittsboro, Chatham County, North Carolina  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Documents		Birthday- Swenson, Joyce Mrs. W.H. Swenson gave a party Friday afternoon for Joyce's (6th) sixth birthday. The afternoon was spent in playing games and records. After Joyce opened her lovely gifts, refreshments were served. Mrs. Swenson was assisted by JoAnn and Mrs. Mildred Smith of Topeka. The invited guests were: Pam Berkey, Carla Rasch, David and Amy Jones, Bruce and Ginger Shannon, Ann Boyd, Jean and Marie Stiles, Michael Gresser, Linda Kelsey, Sharon Irwin [sic], Kathy Hamilton, Marsha and Charlotte Babicki, Myrna Perry, Stephen Pardee, Anne Smith and JoAnn, Diane and Joyce Swenson.
  		Obituary- Harper, Joyce Joyce Marie Harper Chapel Hill, NC- Mrs. Joyce Marie Harper, 73, died Tuesday December 5, 2017 at the SECU Jim & Betsey Bryan Hospice Home in Pittsboro, NC. Joyce was born to the late Walden Howard Swenson and Pauline Fenton Swenson on July 16, 1944 in Concordia Kansas. She was raised in rural Kansas where the heartland values of honor, honesty, and integrity were deeply ingrained. Joyce attended Kansas State University and Northern Illinois University, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Therapy. She later earned her Master’s Degree in Deaf Education from the University of North Florida. Joyce was a passionate educator; her unique teaching style, patience, and persistence could bring out the absolute best in children with severe challenges and send them on the path to success. She truly left no student out or behind, and became the teacher other teachers sought out when they had exhausted their ability to help a child in their classroom. She was known as a fierce advocate for the preschool children with special needs who otherwise had no voice; she believed that every child deserved the opportunity to start kindergarten in their neighborhood school, and fought tirelessly to teach her students the skills to get there. In our family she was most loved for ‘Grandmommy School’, where she cherished the chance to teach her grandsons, Benjamin and William, how to read, do math, and follow directions. Joyce ended her working career as a financial officer in the family business. Joyce was a fantastic cook, and enjoyed entertaining friends and family. She hosted company Christmas parties complete with her famous beef tenderloin and chicken pasta salad, neighborhood dinner parties, and endless family get-togethers. Joyce was an extremely proud PEO Sister who fully embraced the organization’s efforts and served as president for several years. Joyce loved to travel, and over the last fifteen years of her life saw the world. She enjoyed over 20 ocean and river cruises, trips to Europe, Russia, Africa, India, China, Vietnam, New Zealand, and Australia. She was the travel planner for the family; her extraordinary organizational skills ensured that she and her family got the most out of their trips. Above everything else, Joyce was deeply devoted to and loved her family. After meeting her husband Steve at Northern Illinois University, they married in 1970 after 6 years of dating. Together they shared an adventurous life filled with raising two daughters, 10 moves during their marriage, and countless trips where they were able to visit most parts of the world. Joyce loved spending time with her two sisters and her parents, week long summer beach trips with her extended family, hosting family holiday and birthday parties, and taking her 90-something year old mother on Caribbean cruises during the winter. Her dedication to and love for her daughters and grandchildren was remarkable, and her legacy will live on through them. Joyce is survived by her husband Stephen Kent Harper; daughters, Jill Harper Barham and Stephanie Harper Carmody; sons-in-law, Brandon Barham and Dennis Carmody; grandsons, Benjamin Michael Barham and William Stephen Barham; granddaughter to be Anna Stephanie Barham; sister Diane Vaught; brothers-in-law, Dennis Harper and Galen Kersten; sisters-in-law, Sue Kersten and Susie Harper; nephews, Creighton Vaught, Dean Harper, Scott Kersten, Jeff Kersten and families; and nieces, Sherri Gibson, Lori Duncan, Brenda Jacobs, Michelle Rockwood, Lana States and families. A Memorial Service will be held at University United Methodist Church on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, NC on Saturday December 16, 2017 at 3pm with a reception immediately after the service. Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development http://autismcenter.duke.edu/content/make-donation-today or the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation’s CMT2C Research Fund https://www.hnf-cure.org/cmt-2c/ . Arrangements were provided by Walker Funeral Services of Chapel Hill, NC.