Birth date: Aug 11, 1933 Death date: Jan 13, 2024
Joan Letita Harris "Jo", 90, of Leesburg, FL, passed away on January 13, 2024 at home with her two sons by her side. Joan was born on August 11, 1933 in Washington, MD to her loving parents; Robert M. and Carrie J, (Miller) Layton Read Obituary
Tribute to mom from Tim, excerpt from Graveside Service
Tribute from Tim (son):
I….am a fortunate man. A gift was given unto me that is as precious as life itself. That is the gift of loving parents, a warm and comfortable home, and childhood memories that I have cherished my entire life. As many of you know that are gathered here today, there is no true replacement for family. What may be taken for granted or underappreciated in our younger years, certainly becomes more apparent and of utmost importance as we grow older. A supportive family and the entire family experience helps to build a foundation that brings benefits beyond what words can describe. There is no such thing as the perfect family, but in my opinion, mine was undoubtedly one of the best.
At the heart of most families is Mom, as I called her. I believe my mother captured the essence and true meaning of motherhood. She was nurturing, caring and instilled within me the traits and personal characteristics that enabled me to appreciate the triumphs in life and to endure the tragic ones as well. My mother knew what love was, and it came quite naturally for her to put it into practice every single day. That’s not easy to do. It’s true what they say, a mother will do almost anything for her children. It’s incredible to me what mom would endure and tolerate in order for her children to feel secure, loved and provided for. I am no different than many sons, I held my mother in the highest regard, and she could do no wrong.
Life is short, no matter how long you live. Tell the loved ones in your life that you love them.
Mom lived to be 90 years old, I was fortunate enough to have her in my life for 58 of those years.
As the years went on, mom‘s love was steadfast and unchanging. Although distance may have separated us, I could always feel her presence, and always knew she was there for me.
Goodbye mom, until we met again, my love is eternal and everlasting.
Graveside Sermon and Service Agenda content file available upon request.
Dale Memorial Park, Chesterfield Virginia
January 25, 2024 – Thursday, 2:00 p.m.
Conducted by Olivia Bauer Chaplin / Celebrate
Contact Tim Harris
Greetings Tim and Kevin,
As with the passing of family members from Jo’s generation it seems rather hard to express the loss adequately. And a few sentences cannot possibly capture how important these people are to our family and this world. But sometimes something needs to be said as difficult as it might be, and the tears will flow I’m sure as they are while I write this. So please do with these words what you may, and I hope they provide some context to how grateful I and others are for Jo. We are comforted knowing she was with you Tim and Kevin at the end. Paula and I were with my dad as well as it should be.
And now this,
Jo was my aunt married to my father's brother. I can remember her as far back as I can remember. My family lived in California, but my father always loved Baltimore where he grew up. Most, if not all, of our extended family lived on the east coast. Baltimore, Virginia, and other places. I admired my father’s love for these places. He would sometimes take us there on vacations to Baltimore, the eastern shore, Chesapeake Bay, and Virginia where Jack and Jo lived. Our families were tight as I recall, despite the distance between us. The cousins were always fun being we are of the same generation. We were always treated so nice. Everyone was friendly and loving. Sometimes Jack and Jo and the boys would come to California. And Tucson where my family lives. And it was always a treat. Hanging out as teens and as adults was great. One time long ago, when Keith was visiting he wanted to go to Guitar Center and buy a bass guitar. Well, we connected on that trip like no other. He bought the guitar he wanted, and we really enjoyed that. So, our families had a lot in common and when we all got together it was almost like we never were apart. Once I had work activity in Virginia and I stayed a couple weeks and visited everyone including Jack and Jo. Once Sue and I went on a cruise out of Florida and after the cruise, went and visited Jack and Jo. And life went on with other visits both on the east and west coasts.
Now about Jo..
Jo was always kind and warm. A wonderful smile and voice. I loved her accent, being I am from California. We were miles apart but when families connected on occasion she was always welcoming and loving. She was smart, she listened, and she told stories. I remember her laugh. She was an integral part of the extended Harris family. I have many pictures of the families with Jack and Jo and the boys. Uncle Jack and Aunt Jo will always be remembered in the most loving way. Like my mother and father, they had great character and poise. They were role models and someone we loved to be with. They will be dearly missed but never forgotten. And as with my own mother, when I’m quiet… and still…. I can hear Jo’s voice almost as though she’s right here.
Love Brad
