Josephine C. Harmon

Josephine C. Harmon, 92, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 1, 2016, at her home in Roswell, New Mexico. The family would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all the individuals who provided support during this difficult, time and especially, to Josephine’s caregivers who helped make her last days as comfortable as possible. She was born Freda Josephine Collins on March 5, 1924, in Lexington, Kentucky, to her father, Thomas Edward Collins, and mother, Freda (Crutchfield) Collins. Known as “Jo” to friends and family, she was one of eight children. Jo always had a strong work ethic. Baby-sitting was probably her first job and she later worked as a waitress. At the onset of World War II, she gained employment in a more unique role. She worked at the Lexington Blue Grass Army Depot delivering messages on roller skates. It was at the depot where Jo met her first husband, Robert Meeker. They were married December 13, 1943, in Tampa, Florida. Later, Jo and Robert moved to New Mexico living in both Roswell and later, Alamogordo. Robert died in December of 1958, just days short of their fifteenth anniversary. In 1961, Jo remarried. She had met Woodrow “Woody” Harmon through her church in Alamogordo. They were married June 9, 1961. Woody retired from the Civil Service shortly after their marriage and they moved to East Texas for a short while, before settling in Artesia, New Mexico, where they resided for many years. Jo and Woody, subsequently, moved to Roswell, which became home. Jo is survived by one sibling, her sister, Nancy Anderson of Georgetown, KY; two children: Jim Meeker (Jane) of Phoenix, AZ, and Beverly Buster (Jack) of Bakersfield, CA. She leaves four grandchildren: Adele Piraino of Spokane, WA; Scott Piraino and Todd Piraino, both of Clarkston, WA; and Meredith Evans of Bakersfield, CA. Jo has two great-granddaughters: Mckenzie Doyle and Aubrey Evans, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Jo was preceded in death by her parents, six siblings, her first spouse, Robert Meeker, December 9, 1958 and her second husband, Woodrow Harmon, October 29, 1991; a well as a daughter, Patricia (Meeker) McCullough, October 18, 1991, a son-in-law, Larry Dunn, March 30, 1991, and a granddaughter, Colleen (Meeker) Doyle, July 3, 2011. Jo always had a special place in her heart for children; that was evidenced by the guidance and nurture she provided, not just to her family but also through a wide variety of roles in her church and community over the course of many decades. She also had a wonderful sense of humor. You could count on the gatherings she hosted or attended to be lively with much banter, joking, and good-natured ribbing. For ninety-two years, with the exception of just the few weeks before her death due to cancer, Jo maintained her health and independence. Hers was a life well lived. A memorial service celebrating Jo’s life will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2016, 10:00 AM, at the Country Club Road Church of Christ, 700 West Country Club Road, Roswell, New Mexico. Jo will be interred in Mayfield, Kentucky. A second memorial service will be held there, time and date TBD. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Country Club Road Church of Christ (address above); St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or a charity of your choice. This obituary tribute was written by Jo’s loved ones to treasure her memories.

Josephine C. Harmon

March 5, 1924 - June 1, 2016