Vivian M. Harquail

Vivian M. Harquail, a lifetime resident of Annapolis, MD, passed away peacefully on May 29, 2025 at the age of 95. Vivian was born on May 23, 1930 in Scarsdale, NY, the daughter of Robert P. and Madelyn Coffin Small. Vivian attended Scarsdale High School and graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in Art History in 1952. After spending a year touring in Europe with her four college roommates, she worked for Remington Rand Management Institute in New York City. In 1954, she married and moved with her husband, Dr. Alan G. Harquail, to Olde Severna Park. She raised her four children while pursuing her interests and furthering her education. She channeled her tremendous energy towards women’s issues, Historic Annapolis preservation, the arts, and community. As her children got older, she held several career positions. Vivian and Alan were life-long companions sharing intellectual and recreational activities. They were married 69 years and co-captains throughout their active lives together.

Vivian, a lifetime student, was an extraordinarily open-minded and independent woman with a drive to preserve, educate, explore, travel and promote women’s issues throughout her life. Following college, Vivian continued her education while raising a family, obtaining a Master’s degree in Education from Boston City College and took graduate courses in American-Women’s Studies from the University of Maryland.

Vivian realized early that her calling in life was not only being a mother, but also an activist and volunteer. She worked tirelessly for the many causes in which she believed. She marched in D.C. in 1980 for the Equal Rights Amendment. She was Director of the YWCA Women’s Center in Annapolis, pioneering the first county programs on domestic abuse, including establishing the first Domestic Crisis Center in Annapolis. Among many other endeavors, she was one of the founders of the 21st Century Club, she chaired the early Annapolis Fine Arts Festivals on the City Dock, was one of the founders of the St John’s College Caritas Society, and was a board member of the Annapolis Summer Garden Theater and the Anne Arundel County Arts Council. In 1978, Vivian developed the Anne Arundel County Commission for Women’s Domestic Violence and started the YWCA Career Resource Center and Displaced Homemaker’s Program. Vivian also chaired the 1972 Focus on Women conference held at Saint John’s College. In her retirement, she conceived a women-led business to teach women how to sail competently as the captain of their own ship. Vivian was a USCG-licensed sailing instructor for Womanship, leading trips on the Chesapeake Bay, and in the Greek, British Virgin and San Juan Islands. Vivian prided herself in promoting the Womanship logo, “Nobody Yells!” since no men were onboard.

Her work life in the 1980’s included teaching Art Appreciation and Women’s Studies courses at Anne Arundel Community College, directing public programs for the Smithsonian’s Environmental Research Center, managing host exchange programs for the International Visitor’s Center in Baltimore, and marketing for an educational textbook publishing company in Alexandria, VA.

Vivian was an intellectual, activist, feminist, and a thrifty saver. She was an avid reader attending monthly book clubs with her friends for many decades. She adored her weekly women’s coffee klatsch with some “very interesting and significant” Annapolitans staying up on the latest local politics and national issues. She always surrounded herself with stimulating and adventurous women whom she admired throughout her life.

Vivian proved to be a formidable and adventurous traveler. In the early 1970’s, Vivian alone drove her four children on two long summer trips, camping across the USA to see the national parks and through 11 countries in Europe to tour art museums, cathedrals and castles.

Vivian and Alan had a passion for skiing, sailing, and playing tennis where ever they lived. She skied well into her 80’s, all over New England, out West, in the Canadian Rockies and European Alps. They raced sailboats and cruised together for over 50+ years on the Chesapeake Bay and beyond. In 1991 after retirement, they set off on a 20 year sailing adventure, often cruising with the Sailing Club of the Chesapeake and Cruising Club of America-Chesapeake station and on the ICW from Florida to Maine. They cruised in Nova Scotia, New Foundland, Mexican Yucatan, Guatemala, Belize, and The Bahamas. Vivian and Alan also chartered sailboats with different sailing clubs and friends in Norway, England, New Zealand, Croatia, and the Virgin and Greek Islands.

Every winter, Vivian would leave the cruising life for some powder skiing in Utah and out West. While living in Park City, she enjoyed volunteering at the Sundance Film Festival and at the Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter.

Each summer, Vivian and Alan sailed their boat north to Cape Cod where they summered at her beloved family home in Osterville, MA. She enjoyed playing tennis, swimming at Dowses Beach and belonging to the Wianno Yacht Club, joining in on their summer festivities. In July, they would cruise further north to Maine often with the Cruising Club of America.

Once Vivian could no longer captain her own sailboat, she and Alan traveled extensively aboard cruise ships all around the world. They took a 4-month around the world cruise, and toured in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Europe and South America. Vivian will be remembered by her assertive, curious, intellectual, and adventurous spirit.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Alan G. Harquail, her parents, Robert and Madelyn (Coffin) Small, and her sister, Marilyn (Small) Anderson. Vivian is survived by her four children, Alden Harquail (Amparo), Stephen Harquail (Kristin), Kimberly Todd (Jeff), Melanie Matelich (Lewis); 7 grandchildren; and her nephews, Mark Anderson and Brad Anderson (Denise).

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, June 26, 2025 from 11:30 to 1:30 pm in the Canvas Back Room at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation 6 Herndon Avenue Annapolis, MD 21403 *** Please note parking is limited so please carpool, uber, drop off or park in legal parking neighboring streets.*** “In lieu of flowers, please plant a tree or donate to your favorite charity.”