JOAN HARLAND

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JOAN HARLAND On Sunday, July 17, 2016, Joan Harland passed away at the Winnipeg Convalescent Home. Joan Mary Harland was the daughter of Thomas and Belle Harland and the sister of Robert Harland. Surviving are two nieces, Diana Chance and Katherine Kennedy, and two adopted nieces, Irma Reich and Mary Kosary. Born December 10, 1914, in Leeds, England, and baptized in the Leeds Parish Church, she came to Winnipeg in March, 1915, where she continued to live. She returned frequently to England during the summers. She attended school at St. Mary's Academy for 12 years, matriculating in 1932. In 1933, she received an ATCM (Music) from the Toronto Conservatory of Music; in 1938, a Bachelor of Architecture degree (Gold Medal) from the University of Manitoba; and in 1948, a Master of Arts degree from Teachers College, Columbia, NY. In 1939, she began teaching in the Architecture/Interior Design School at the University of Manitoba, becoming Lecturer, Assistant, Associate and Full Professors. She was Chairman/Head of the Department of Interior Design for 23 years. After retiring in 1980, she returned to University of Manitoba as a student and during the next 10 years received 52 undergraduate credits in Religion. Having found satisfaction in essay writing, she continued to write about the early Christian centuries. In 2000, she wrote Simple Jesus - Complex Creeds and in 2007, Women of the Bible Viewed by a Woman - emphasizing the importance of the mature Mary, mother of Jesus, in the development of early Christianity. Other writings include the History of Interior Decoration/Design at the University of Manitoba 1938 to 1997, A Guide to the Parish Church of St. George, Crescentwood, Winnipeg (1995), Carvings on the Main Entrance Doors Parish Church of St. George (1997), St. George's Church Architecture (illustrated) www.stgeorges.mb.ca (2008). Activities at St. George's Anglican Church include: Church Design Committee for the new church (1956 to 1958), Synod Delegate, Peoples' Warden, Parish Council Clerk, Offertory Recording, Altar Guild, Flowers, and Planning and Design Committee. She also designed church Vestments including Chancel Kneelers (1983), Blue Vestments (1989), Green Vestments (1993) and the Anniversary Banner (2008). In 1981, the University presented her with a Professor Emeritus Award, which she valued highly. Other awards include: The Mary/Martha Award (Anglican Women) in 2003 and the Marian Award (Roman Catholic women - St. Mary's Academy) in 2008, FIDEC, FIDC, FPIDIM (Fellow). In 2009, to celebrate her 95th birthday, many of her former students contributed to the Joan Harland Scholarship in Interior Design, originally set up in 1981 by students. In 2014, she received a greeting from Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate her 100th birthday. In 2016, she was honoured to be inducted into the Manitoba Order of the Buffalo Hunt. She believed strongly that her future life' will continue in the activities/contributions of her students and the appreciation by others of the works of art she has been involved in creating. "Lord now let thou thy servant depart in peace..." Mention of Joan's contributions will be made at the Morning Prayer Service at St. George's Anglican Church, Wilton and Grosvenor, Winnipeg at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, September 25, 2016. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Memorial Fund of St. George"s Anglican Church Crescentwood, 168 Wilton St., Winnipeg, MB R3M 3C3.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 10, 2016