Joann Harris Life Sketch – Funeral 2-13-2021 – Hinckley & Harris Family History

Joann Harris Manwaring

Joann was born at noon on May 29, 1928 in Rexburg, Idaho to Cyrus Arthur Harris and Zina Rachel Cole Harris, the youngest of eight children. Joann was only 13 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, like most American’s the stunning news from the family radio changed the course of her life. There would be other events throughout Joann’s life which contributed to the development of her many qualities and attributes which added a certain distinction to her character.

With the aid of her personal history and memories from family and friends exploring these attributes, while not in exact chronological order, seems a fitting way to share her story.

Feisty/Stubborn/Determined/Opinionated

Some of us know all too well, Joann’s stubborn, determined, feisty nature. Some of which comes naturally by way of her Harris genetics. But Joann’s childhood experiences also played a major role. Perhaps it was the day she was herding the family cow home when it hauled off and butted her and sent her flying into the garden. Or maybe the times her brothers put boxing gloves on her and her best friend Nadine and told them to hit each other, yep, they had “real boxing matches.” Or, when she intentionally threw a snowball at one of her teachers and hit him in the face. Or used the guns she carved from wood with attached clothes pin and cut up inner tubes which only required a release of the clothes pin to land quite a sting.

Joann described herself as “an active tom boy who had great fun playing games that were rough and tough.” She loved to ice skate, snow ski, play softball and basketball. Her nephews Ron and Scott remember when you visited their home on 3^rd South the living room furniture was often pushed against the walls so she could retain the family wrestling crown. (Scott Hinckley)

If you ever had a discussion with Joann, it didn’t take long before you knew exactly what her position was with a political party, a particular politician, tax laws, the economy, health care, religion and a wide array of social issues.

Joann loved all kinds of sports and a sporting event was often her television program of choice. She also had opportunities to attend some professional games, and she was not what I would call a passive fan but that’s exactly what we all loved about her.

I think she could have written the handbook on a fan’s guide on how to respond to a bad call. Ever watch an NBA game with her, you get the picture, that feisty opinionated personality was front and center.

Industrious/Leader

With the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, Joann remembered not understanding what lay ahead for her, she was proud of her brothers Douglas, Byron and Paul who served in the military. With her brother’s gone Joann had to take on additional responsibilities around the house and on the dry farm. She already had to do the dishes every night, and iron all the linens on the mangle – jobs she didn’t like. Added to those jobs was taking care of the furnace. She had to fill the hopper with coal each morning and take the clinkers (the elements in coal such as iron, calcium, aluminum and carbon that melt together and form volcanic like rocks) out. Every Saturday she had to lift the clinkers up and out of a basement window and carry them to the street. They were so heavy some days she wondered if she would be able to make it out the window. She had to mow and water the yard, work in the garden and help with weed control and harvest on the dry farm. Joann lived through WWII rationing and remembers the largest impact being the rationing of gas and sugar. She bought savings stamps which were later turned into war bonds, she made quilts and first aid bandages and collected scrap metal from the farms.

Her brothers used to pay Joann and her sister $.05 to clean the tub in between their baths when they came home from the farm.

One summer during the war, Joann lived in SLC and tended 2 children while her step sister Hazel worked at the Remington Arms plant. Hazel and her husband were golfers, and guess who was the caddy. Joann attributes that experience for her lack of interest in golf.

In high school Joann played the saxophone in the Pep Band, was a member of the Pepper Club and was in student government, serving as vice-president of the student body her senior year.

Joann understood the value of work and every where she and Blair lived as a result of military assignments or construction work Joann found employment when needed. At Fort Monroe in 1952, she worked in the Chemical Department, while in Rexburg she worked at Nelson Ricks Creamery for her father in-law, she was secretary, treasurer, bookkeeper and construction worker for Manwaring Construction and Heritage Homes. From 1983 to 1986 She worked for the Rexburg Chamber of Commerce and the Rexburg Museum. When they returned from Virginia in 1991, she worked at Florence’s Kandy Kitchen for four holiday seasons. and was a volunteer at the Madison Memorial Hospital Gift Shop. She was a busy Mom to Dwight, Bart and Sara and was managing all that a household demands.

Joann could always make do with very little. In 1950 Blair attended Utah State University, the first year they lived in a WWII Quonset building. Technically a thin metal shed. The contents included a wood stove, a roaster oven, a table with two chairs a bed and an International Refrigerator procured from her brothers.

When the flood waters overwhelmed the valley after the Teton Dam failed in 1976, it was no surprised that Joann rolled up her pant legs to wade into muddy water trying to salvage documents from their business and then turned her efforts to provide relief for others and volunteered sorting and organizing donations.

Joann was always a minimalist, she never carried a purse or hand bag only her wallet. She wore little if any makeup and yes you probably recognized the same wardrobe in photos over the years.

Endearing and Caring

In 1937, when Joann was 9 years old, her Mother passed away following an illness and major surgery. While Joann’s entry in her history is very pragmatic, she ends her entry stating; “I have always missed not having a mother to love me and give me direction.” Apart from her feisty personality Joann was endearing and cared very much for family, friends and all that life offered.

Blair and Joann began dating their Sophomore year in high school, 1944. When Joann went to Provo to attend school at the “Y” Blair came there several times. When school was over for the year, Blair came to get her and bring her back to Rexburg. While Blair was on an LDS mission in Hawaii Joann attended Ricks College and graduated with an Associate Degree in 1948. In 1949 Blair made a unique request to the First Presidency of the Church, to have his girlfriend come to Hawaii where they could be married. President George Albert Smith granted the request as long as Joann was chaperoned, which she was by her in-laws. It may be the only time in church history when a missionary had a homecoming and wedding reception at the same time.

She welcomed family and friends to her home and shared family history stories, and pictures. As one of her nephews Ross stated; Joann was the family historian long before Ancestry.com was a thing. (Ross Harris)

In 1968 she was needed to care for her sister who was ill with cancer and her new born baby boy Shane, she and Sara took the train to Omaha and spent a couple of weeks caring for both.

From September 1969 to October 1974 Joann lost 5 members of her immediate family, both of Blair’s parents, her sister and two brothers. Her father had passed away in 1962. Joann felt it an honor, out of her devotion to family, to tend to each of the grave sites over the years. When you visited, not only during Memorial weekend, part of your visit might include travel to Sugar City, Rexburg and Little Butte cemeteries. We would clean them and lay flowers and listen to the stories she would tell.

Despite all the teasing and jousting as kids, Joann’s brothers were extremely fond of their little sister and she of them. Paul and Doug often called her (this was in the days prior to a cell phone and a long-distance phone call was expensive) to check in, and she called them periodically. What was so endearing to their children was the banter between them which was concise and genuine. (Ross Harris) After Blair passed away in 2012, Doug continued to call Joann. To paraphrase Doug’s daughter Marcie it was evident how endeared he was to her. (Marcie Harris)

Joann often cared to the point of worry. She worried about the children, worried about her siblings, worried about the economy, worried about the Jazz basketball team and even worried about her own resting place. One of Bart’s favorite memories is when Blair designed the headstone for their cemetery plot. When the headstone was put in place in 2012 Blair and Joann wanted to go and take a look, and make certain it had met their specifications. One day when Sara was visiting, she drove them to the cemetery. Blair didn’t feel well enough to get out of the car but could tell from his view all was well. Joann was satisfied with the headstone as well, but suddenly jumped from the car and walked briskly to the plot, Sara in tow and stated they have placed it in the wrong spot. We are supposed to have six feet and it is too close to the other graves. We aren’t going to fit! Sara reassured her it was going to be okay but Joann wasn’t convinced. So, in a kidding fashion Sara suggested she should just lay down and measure it herself. Sure enough, Joann laid down at the headstone to be certain she fit and Sara couldn’t resist the photo op.

As Blair’s health continued to decline and he became more vulnerable Joann was even more devoted. After Blair’s passing and for the next eight and a half years that demonstrated devotion and caring was reciprocated by family and friends and neighbors who visited, called, worked puzzles (the 1500 all the same shaped pieces puzzles), watched NBA games and tennis matches, took her on walks to the hair dressers and out to eat, hamburgers of course. (Boyd, Sharon, . . .)

Joann has a deep love for her children; Dwight, Bart and Sara and in her personal history stated the following. “We love these children so much. We have had our growing up problems, as all families do, but we are so grateful to them for being our children. The trials that come with raising a family have all been worth it and when asked if we would do it again the answer is always a resounding YES, YES, YES. THEY ARE THE REASONS FOR OUR LIFE. Words are inadequate to express the joy and happiness we feel when we see them and share in their joys and sorrows.

Gourmet

In 1953 when Blair was stationed in Japan, Joann lived with her in-laws. Joann writes that while living there she learned more cooking skills and that’s where she perfected orange rolls and squash pie. Those recipes became trademarks for Joann and favorites of the Manwaring’s and Harris’s. Every Christmas she made endless batches of fudge and would ship them off to her siblings.

Joann had, what I would refer to as a discriminating enjoyment of certain food and drink. Usually when one thinks of gourmet the idea of a person with a discerning palate might come to mind. Joann’s palate was indeed discerning; nothing could replace the pop, fizz and taste of a Pepsi. She had other favorites; mashed potatoes, hotdogs, hamburgers, Werther’s candies, (Dan Hinckley) popcorn and bananas. Sometimes a combination of these favorites would make a satisfying meal.

Just a bit of history about hotdogs. Hotdogs were originally called wienerworst and were made popular by German Americans. The term actually was a reference to Vienna sausage but was shortened to wiener. Joann grew up eating wieners which have a texture and taste similar to what many of us know as hot dogs. Joann continued to always refer to hotdogs as wieners, much to her grandkids delight given the change in vernacular over time. One day when Sara and her son Kerek were visiting with Joann, Kerek stated he was hungry and headed to the fridge to find something to eat, Joann, quickly came to his aid and told him; “there are wiener pops in the freezer.” Kerek was laughing so hard he had to leave the room for a moment, you see his vision of wiener pops was not at all what he found in the freezer – corn dogs.

In 1970 Joseph Fielding Smith became Prophet, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Joann was worried she might have to give up her temple recommend as it was rumored, he would add Pepsi to the Word of Wisdom questions and she was not about to give up her Pepsi.

She enjoyed gardening and preparing the produce from her garden. In the earlier years of Blair’s construction work Joann would prepare a dinner meal at noon. One summer when her nephew Scott, from New York lived with them, she sent him to the garden to pick peas, knowing the city boy did not know they came in pods – oh she took such delight in that moment.

Teacher/Disciplinarian

Whether it was children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews. Primary kids or scouts Joann was a teacher by example and assignment as well as a disciplinarian. Her white hair added emphasis to her role.

Joann, like many other Harris’s was blessed with beautiful thick hair which prematurely turned white. While living in Virginia she and Blair were dining with her brother Doug and his wife Leva Mae. The waitress made an assumption Blair and Doug were brothers and Joann was their mother. She took it in stride. Some folks in the DC area thought she was Barbara Bush or a least her double.

When cousins, grandchildren and the second generation of cousins visited there were plenty of opportunities for teaching and disciplining. Once all of the cousins were playing outside and someone yelled dinner was ready and everyone ran inside while leaving toys strewn throughout the yard. Joann wasn’t shy about dressing them down with a booming voice and needless to say they all went back outside and picked up the toys. (Ross) She was also known for her more subtle teaching moments like the time all the younger cousins were swimming in Byron’s pool and she quietly whispered to Julie that Uncle Byron had a red dye that was activated if you peed in his pool. When asked what she should do if she had to go to the bathroom, Joann said, well you better just hope you don’t. (Julie Orme) Or when some grandkids and cousins wanted to pick raspberries from her patch but knew she wanted to wait a few more days so they ventured next door to the neighbors, filled their bellies until they heard “You girls get out of those raspberries.” She told the girls they had taken something that wasn’t theirs and they needed to think about it. Farah, one of the cousins recalls “the next day Joann handed us all buckets and had us go out and begin picking berries from her patch. She told us we had to fill the buckets before we could come in. It turned out to be a long hot day and when the buckets were finally full, she made them take one bucket to the neighbor and offer apologies. “(Farah Sanders)

Spiritual

In February of 1986 Blair and Joann embarked upon a new journey. It was not one either of them would have selected for themselves. Joann records the following about the experience. “The Herndon, VA LDS Ward was just starting a new building and Blair was hired by the contractor. We were not excited in having to move clear across the country.” During their five and half years in Virginia, as Joann puts it, “. . . we had some great experiences and felt that we had been sent there for some special purposes. Blair was able to get the Herndon ward completed and at the dedication the Stake President said that Blair had been an answer to his prayers. Also, he had been available when Mr. Michie died and was able to help in the office. . . We were able to serve in the Asian Branch (of their church) and make many wonderful friends there. I was the Women’s Relief Society President and the congregation consisted of members from Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. Many times, when meeting with the women I was the only one who spoke English, or rather the only one who didn’t speak their language, it was a great learning experience for us and very humbling. We learned to rely on our Father in Heaven at all times. They are a great people and we were blessed to know them. We served in the Washington DC LDS Temple, became better acquainted with my brother Douglas and his wife, Leva Mae and their family and my nephew Ron and Cathy Hinckley’s family and with Blair’s heart problems we were where he had excellent care, insurance and a boss who was able to help us. Everyone was so good to us and we feel for these reasons our Heavenly Father guided us East and blessed us so much while we were there.”

Joann’s trust in God was tested many times throughout her life, but she never faltered and exercised the faith of Job. She declared her knowledge and testimony of the redeeming sacrifice of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (see personal history). I believe if Joann was here today, she would reiterate this statement she wrote in a letter;

“…life has lots of problems for us to overcome. Keep up your spirits and fighting desires. We don’t know what the Lord has planned for us but we do know he loves us and has great things in store for us.”

Joann passed away February 3, 2021 and has now passed the torch to the next generations. May we honor her by continuing to tell her story and focusing on the gifts she so willingly shared with each of us.

Joann, we love you, will miss you and will continue to let you inspire us.