Joan Cochran Harris

Joan Cochran Harris (nee Alexander) was born April 10, 1945, in Ashland, Ky., to Anne “Polly” and Joseph Alexander.

Her family moved to Wisconsin when she was a toddler, and she grew up in Wauwatosa. She graduated from Wauwatosa East High School in 1963.

That same spring, she married William “Jim” Harris. They moved to Grafton in 1970, where they raised their two daughters.

Joan’s life was completely centered around loving and serving others. Her favorite times were spent with family — gathering for a cookout at their home in Grafton, meeting in Milwaukee for pizza or spending summer vacations together up north. She loved to host family at theirt home, sharing food and laughter and sometimes a game of Scrabble.

She was always eager to volunteer to serve in any activity the girls were involved in, whether in Girl Scouts, Music Parents or Job’s Daughters. She sewed costumes for Christmas programs, baked for bake sales and played accompaniments for solo and ensemble contests.

As an empty nester, she became a WIAA swim official and got involved in the Friends of the Library, taught Sunday School, sang in the choir at the Grafton Senior Center, helped in the church office and even volunteered to play hymns on the piano at Hamburg Home in Grafton, where she later lived.

She delighted in worshiping and studying God’s word with her church family. She was heartbroken by the loss of Jim in 2011 after 48 years of marriage but sustained by her relationships with the body of Christ.

She is survived by her daughters Vicki (Andrew) Largin of Fredonia, Wis., and Kathy (Scott) Stamos of Wausau, Wis.; sister Lynn (Allen) Hoppe of San Antonio, Texas; brother Jay (Valerie) Alexander of St. Paul, Minn.; three grandchildren, Anne Stamos, Jacob (Hannah) Stamos and Faith Largin; as well as many sisters and brothers-in-law; nieces; and nephews, whom she dearly loved.

Joan was preceded in death by her husband Jim and her parents.

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, at Falls Baptist Church, with a funeral service at 6 p.m.