Joyce Ann Blankenship Harless

Joyce Ann Blankenship Harless age 84, a devoted mother and homemaker died July 24, 2015 at Nurse Care of Buckhead after an extended battle with Parkinson Disease and Dementia. Born in Lynchburg, Virginia on February 11, 1931 to Houston Blankenship and Ruby Swanson Blankenship, she is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Steven R. Harless and Caroline O. Harless of Atlanta and her nephew, Rev. Gary Eakes of Arlington, Virginia.

Joyce enjoyed a simple life centered around her home and her family. She loved spending time at her vacation home in Highland, N.C. and spending time with family at meal times. She also enjoyed meeting the clients of her son’s CPA practice, Harless & Associates, in Buckhead Atlanta and helping to answer phones and assemble tax returns from time-to-time during tax time prior to the loss of her husband, lovingly known as “Mr. Ed” in March 2011.

Joyce grew up in Arlington, Virginia and met her husband to be, Edmond R. Harless while he was assigned to the Coast Guard Cutter, Ingram, to monitor boat races in Washington, D.C. They met in a swimming pool at Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va., married in 1950 and made their first home in Baltimore, Maryland. Their son, Steven was born in 1952. Joyce was a dutiful, military wife who often meant managing the household and their son while her husband was at sea and moving their family across country several times. Lt. Cmdr. Harless’ distinguished career in the U.S. Coast Guard took the family from Maryland, to New Jersey, to Honolulu, to Adak, Alaska to Miami, Florida and finally to St. Petersburg, Florida where he retired in 1974. In 1975, Mr. Ed and Joyce started another career when he became superintendent of Miami Shipyard, Inc. and in 1976, they moved to Savannah where he subsequently became General Manager of Diamond Manufacturing Company of Savannah. In 1989, Joyce and Mr. Ed moved to Smyrna, Georgia to be near their son. Mr. Ed was instrumental in the founding of Harless & Associates, CPAs and the affiliated investment services company, Peachtree Capital Corporation. Mr. Ed served as a financial consultant and Vice President of Operations of Peachtree Capital Corporation until his retirement in October, 2010.

Those wishing to express condolences may do so between 10:30 and 11:30 AM on Wednesday, July 29, at H. M. Patterson, Oglethorpe Hill Chapel, 4550 Peachtree Road., N.E. Atlanta, Georgia. Our beloved Joyce will be laid to rest along side her husband at Georgia National Cemetery, 1080 Veterans Cemetery Road, Canton, Georgia.

Friends and family may also visit http://www.hmpattersonoglethorpe.com for directions and to express condolences.