Joan Dean Harvey
July 2, 1936 ~ March 3, 2022
Joan Dean Harvey, lovingly known as “GeeGee” by her granddaughters and many others, and “Joanie” by her friends, passed away on March 3, 2022. She was 85 years young.
Joan was born July 2, 1936, to Elwood and Virginia Dean and grew up with her sister Ann on Sleepy Hollow Road in Annandale, VA. She was a very active member of the Falls Church High School Class of 1954 as a cheerleader for the Jaguars, while also serving on the courts of many of the dances and being voted “Best All Around” her senior year.
After a year at the Women’s College of North Carolina, Joan started working at the Army Intelligence Command at Arlington Hall. There she met a cute Second Lieutenant named Al Harvey. Less than a year later they married. Shortly after that, they welcomed their two daughters Tracey and Kelly, and a few dogs along the way. Family life at the Harvey’s was as good as it gets.
Joan continued working and retired as a Management Analyst after 35 years. She couldn’t sit still however, so she picked up a job at The Christmas Gallery in downtown Fairfax. Christmas was always her favorite time of year.
Joan and Al were long time members of Westwood Country Club in Vienna, Virginia where they made many lifelong friends. After retirement, she caught the golf bug and enjoyed playing with the 18-holers. She was also a bowler and treasured her time playing Mah Jong with her special group of friends. She and her husband loved to travel. Hawaii, St. Thomas, Casa de Campo, and Litchfield Beach, SC were some of their favorite places to vacation. The beach was her go to place where the porch and a good crossword puzzle always put a smile on her face.
In 1989, Joan joined the congregation of Wesley United Methodist Church in Vienna and was devoted to her adult Sunday school class, The Seekers, that she attended for many, many years.
Her last home was The Kensington where, in the short time she was there, she made many friends and was known as a “fiesty” bright light!
Joan is survived by her two daughters: Tracey Burch (Gary) and Kelly Harris; her five granddaughters: Kaitlin Harris (Jeremy Harley), Chase Stewart (Adam Stewart), Megan Rearden (Ryan McBroom), Whitney Harris (Skyler Stauch), and Morgan Hensley (Chris Connor); her sister Ann Wood, niece and nephews, and her many grand-dogs and grand-cats.
In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) or Wolf Trap Animal Rescue (wtarescue.com), two organizations that meant a lot to Joan.
A celebration of her life will be held at Westwood Country Club on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 11:30 am.
Joan was born July 2, 1936, to Elwood and Virginia Dean and grew up with her sister Ann on Sleepy Hollow Road in Annandale, VA. She was a very active member of the Falls Church High School Class of 1954 as a cheerleader for the Jaguars, while also serving on the courts of many of the dances and being voted “Best All Around” her senior year.
After a year at the Women’s College of North Carolina, Joan started working at the Army Intelligence Command at Arlington Hall. There she met a cute Second Lieutenant named Al Harvey. Less than a year later they married. Shortly after that, they welcomed their two daughters Tracey and Kelly, and a few dogs along the way. Family life at the Harvey’s was as good as it gets.
Joan continued working and retired as a Management Analyst after 35 years. She couldn’t sit still however, so she picked up a job at The Christmas Gallery in downtown Fairfax. Christmas was always her favorite time of year.
Joan and Al were long time members of Westwood Country Club in Vienna, Virginia where they made many lifelong friends. After retirement, she caught the golf bug and enjoyed playing with the 18-holers. She was also a bowler and treasured her time playing Mah Jong with her special group of friends. She and her husband loved to travel. Hawaii, St. Thomas, Casa de Campo, and Litchfield Beach, SC were some of their favorite places to vacation. The beach was her go to place where the porch and a good crossword puzzle always put a smile on her face.
In 1989, Joan joined the congregation of Wesley United Methodist Church in Vienna and was devoted to her adult Sunday school class, The Seekers, that she attended for many, many years.
Her last home was The Kensington where, in the short time she was there, she made many friends and was known as a “fiesty” bright light!
Joan is survived by her two daughters: Tracey Burch (Gary) and Kelly Harris; her five granddaughters: Kaitlin Harris (Jeremy Harley), Chase Stewart (Adam Stewart), Megan Rearden (Ryan McBroom), Whitney Harris (Skyler Stauch), and Morgan Hensley (Chris Connor); her sister Ann Wood, niece and nephews, and her many grand-dogs and grand-cats.
In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) or Wolf Trap Animal Rescue (wtarescue.com), two organizations that meant a lot to Joan.
A celebration of her life will be held at Westwood Country Club on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 11:30 am.
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The Owners and Staff at the Money and King Funeral Home, wish to express our sincere sympathy to you. It is our hope that we may be able to make a difficult time more bearable. Please feel free to call us anytime as we are always available to you. Bob Gallagher Funeral Director
What a beautiful tribute to a smart and feisty woman who brought joy and fun to those around her. We are thinking of you, Kelly and Tracy, and your extended family. Much love, Paddi Dean White and all of Al and Tricia Dean’s family
I don’t have a personal memory. But, Kaitlin is part is my family(Jeremy).She always spoke highly of GeeGee. All you had to do was look at the love on her face when she would say something about her. Kaitlin you are very lucky to have a Grandmother that you love so much and all of your treasured memories that you will carry with you. May Jesus be with you and your family.??
I am unable to attend the memorial for Joan today. I have some residual effects from Covid and feel it is too soon to be around others, although the doctor said Tuesday would have been the end of quarantine. I have so many memories with Joan, some good and some not so good. We went through so many years of changes from the 7th grade until now and I still smile thinking of some of them. Lots happened when Alan, Jerry and Joan and I were together as adults, but you wouldn’t know it sometimes. I will miss her sense of humor and her ability to laugh at herself as well as the rest of us. She was an important part of everyone’s life whom she met. She will be missed by all.