JoAnn Theresa (Kerr) Harrington

JoAnn Theresa Harrington passed away peacefully at home in Cupertino, July 31, 2021.

JoAnn was predeceased by her loving husband of 42 years, Frank Harrington, and by her sisters Kathleen Klafter and Mary Ellen Kerr. She is survived by her sons Frank (Jo) and Matt (Anne), her grandchildren Aidan, Anton, Leah, Alexander and Sean, her brother Joseph Kerr, sister-in-law Catherine Hall, brother-in-law Cary Klafter, cousin Jean Ann Carroll, and by nieces Dana and Julie Hackett, Anna and Eileen Klafter and nephew Benjamin Klafter. JoAnn was born in San Francisco and grew up in the Mission district where she attended St. James School and Immaculate Conception Academy, graduating in 1958. She then enrolled at the University of San Francisco, where she met Frank Harrington. They were married in 1962. Frank used to say, “You can take the girl out of the Mission, but …”, and JoAnn remained a San Franciscan at heart, although they settled and raised their family in San Jose. From the 1970s to the new millennium their home was the headquarters of our large extended family. Siblings and cousins, nieces and nephews, and children and grandchildren share warm memories of holidays and birthdays celebrated around JoAnn’s table.

Frank preferred to travel by book, but JoAnn wanted to see the world. She prevailed, and the family went on long camping trips across the country each summer when the boys were small, visiting 28 US states and a couple of Canadian

provinces during the 1970s. Later, as empty nesters they travelled farther afield, including to Alaska and Hawaii. After Frank passed away in 2004 JoAnn continued to travel, making trips with other family members to Mexico and Central America, Ireland, Europe, and the northeastern US. JoAnn read poetry, and often produced an appropriate quotation. Zorba the Greek was her favorite film. She read all of Shakespeare and loved Tolstoy but ended up reading mostly women authors from her 30’s on. She wrote a novel. She cooked well and could improvise in the kitchen, and she liked to eat and drink (who doesn’t). She knew who would be good company at dinner and where to seat people for maximum effect. She worked tirelessly in the garden, which nevertheless remained a work in progress. She could identify all the birds who came by. JoAnn knew the value of sitting, relaxing and enjoying the flowers and birds in the yard.

JoAnn really listened to you. While seldom making herself the center of attention, she was absolutely the center of our family. We will miss her more than words can say.