Joan M. Harpool

Joan M. Harpool, 85, of Plainfield, passed away June 15, 2021.  She was born May 27, 1936 to the late Horace and Lena (Douglas) Lewellen of Martinsville, IN.  She was an elementary school teacher at IPS School #11 for 15 years retiring in 1991.  She was a member of the Plainfield Christian Church; the Plainfield Eastern Star; and co-founder of the Plainfield Garden Club. 

Joan was known for her kind, gentle spirit.  She touched people with her love, her wit, and her faith.  She loved and supported her family in this way as well.  Her life was filled with caring for her family, socializing with friends, teaching school, and gardening.  She also enjoyed singing and listening to hymns, timeless love songs and humorous ditties.  She loved telling stories and jokes to make others smile and was known for trying to find the best in others.  Joan enjoyed her friendships she found in the sororities that she had joined, singing groups, Garden Club, Sunday School and bible study groups.  She was a long-time member of the Monday Night Club that was a ‘hikers club’ and ‘supper group’ that included many of her and her parents’ neighbors and friends.

Joan endured much pain from her health conditions in the last decade or so of her life.  However, she always gave others a smile, kind words or found something to laugh about.  It was her way of dealing with her pain and finding a way to comfort others that touched the hearts of so many that knew her.  She had great faith in Jesus who was her friend, her shepherd and comforter.  She was a wonderful mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.

Joan is survived by three daughters, Merrietta Fong, Barbara Wells, and Katherine (& husband-Martin) Buis; a son, John (& wife-Shannon) Smith; three step-sons, Mark (& wife-Roni) Hughes, Jeffrey (& wife-Tanita) Hughes, and James (& wife-Kris) Harpool; a step-daughter, Julie Grimes; a brother, Douglas Lewellen; 13 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her husbands, Lloyd Smith and Roy Harpool; and one grandson, Nathan Fong. 

Please join the family in remembering and celebrating the life of Joan on Saturday, June 19, 2021 in the Hampton-Gentry Funeral Home, Plainfield. Friends may call from 11:30 am until service time at 1:30 pm.  Burial will follow in Maple Hill Cemetery, Plainfield.