LouAnn Harney

She was born on February 16, 1942 to Ardra Lou and Joseph “Rocky” Bowersox in Battle Creek Michigan.

Soon after Lou Ann was born her father, Joseph “Rocky” Bowersox and Ardra Lou purchased their dream property on the beautiful California Coastline and built the well-known Rocky Point Restaurant and Resort.

Lou Ann loved living above the restaurant with her parents at Rocky Point. She had many stories of being a little girl in the busy restaurant business, ordering whatever she wanted from the kitchen and playing cards with the cooks when business was slow. Restaurant life was late nights and long hours and in 1950 when Lou Ann was eight years old, her parents enrolled her in Santa Catalina in Monterey as one of their first boarding students. She missed her parents and her pets and always looked forward to weekend passes to go home.

Lou Ann adored her father. Rocky was a pilot and he would take her on wonderful adventures in his Beechcraft Bonanza. She said every flight felt special. It didn’t matter whether they were just flying along the coast or to San Francisco for lunch. She loved every minute as long as she got to sit in the copilot’s seat.

When Lou Ann graduated from 8th grade at Santa Catalina, her parents had just purchased a house in Carmel and agreed Lou Ann could move home and attend Carmel High School.

Lou Ann was excited to be home and enjoyed all of the activities Carmel High School had to offer.

Her sophomore year, she met her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Eugene ”Pat” Harney. When she graduated in 1959, Pat quickly purposed to Lou Ann and they married soon after in a small ceremony at the Highlands Inn. They settled in a small cottage in Carmel and had two children, Mike and Laurie.

In 1965 her parents decided to sell their home in Carmel and Pat and Lou Ann were able to purchase it from them and spent the next 52 years together in that house.

Lou Ann worked in banking for over thirty year's. She worked as a teller for Bank of America and later for CoMerica Bank branch in Carmel.

She and Pat enjoyed many hobbies together including gardening, taking day trips to San Luis reservoir, fishing for and panning for gold in their favorite spot down the coast. They could often be found Surfcasting from Carmel beach.

Pat passed away in 2017 and Lou Ann missed him terribly. She enjoyed spending time with her family and kept in touch with a few of her classmates and in 2019, she attended her 60th year High School Reunion.

In February, Lou Ann turned 80 and enjoyed the day at her son and daughter-in-law’s cabin and a small birthday celebration with her family in Carmel.

On April 8th after a long illness, Lou Ann passed peacefully while holding her daughters hand.

Lou Ann is survived by her son Mike Harney (Denise) of Carmel Valley; daughter Laurie Mortenson (Brian) of Virginia; grandsons Todd Harney (Kristin), Stuart Harney (Shelby) and Max Mortenson; granddaughter Jilli Gerschefske (Matt) of Virginia; and two great-grandsons, Owen Harney and Luke Gerschefske.

A small private graveside memorial will be held at a later date to be determined.

Donations may be made in her name to Alzheimer research, Multiple Myeloma Research or the ASPCA.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.NelsenWilliamsburg.com for the Harney family.