Mrs. Mary Belle Lothrop Harkness

Mary Belle Lothrop Harkness died Saturday, June 7, 2014. She was the daughter of Ruth Belle Dooley Lothrop and Douglas Bradford Lothrop. She was also preceded in death by her brother and sister-in-law Clinton Dooley Lothrop and Frances McAmis Lothrop, her brother Douglas Bradford Lothrop, Jr., her grandson, David Egerton, Jr., by her sister-in-law, Jane Harkness Hutchins and brother-in-law, David Harkness. She was also the multi-great-granddaughter of Sarah and Gov. John Sevier through their second son , Major James Sevier. Throughout her life she kept her love of learning, encouraged by her two years at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, and two years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity, The Knoxville Junior League where she helped meet the challenges of the first Dogwood Festival, The Girl’s Cotillion Club and The Nine O’Clock Cotillion Club. She served on the Board of Blount Mansion and for many years held offices on the Board of the Women’s Guild of the Knoxville Symphony Society. As a young mother, she started teaching Sunday school to twelve year olds at Church Street United Methodist Church, her childhood church and where she was married, and she continued teaching that age group for fourteen years after becoming a devoted member in 1958 of their neighborhood church, Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church. Twelve members of her tennis group were also pianists, and joined together to form the Knoxville Piano Duet Club. Her love of gardening led to membership in The Garden Study Club and The Knoxville Garden Club where she enjoyed her years of serving on the Board and the later years of participation and fellowship. Her quiet time was reading, knitting, needlepoint and crewel embroidery. Her busy times were in landscaping and interior décor for Alex’s new constructions, and with renovations, such as the L&N Station. She was patient with Alex’s church commitments, many civic boards, Chamber of Commerce Board, late night meetings of City Council. The challenge came when he asked her if she would live several months of the year on a fifty-five foot motor yacht in St.Lucia, West Indies. She loved it: the precious people, the lasting friendships in the Methodist Church, the beauty of the island, and the efficiency of the boat. She became busy for several years mastering courses in the Knoxville Power Squadron starting with Seamanship and many more through Piloting. This knowledge was useful when their son Bo asked them to crew for him in bringing his new purchase of the Cheoy Lee trawler from Montreal, Canada to Georgia. A memorable trip: oceans, lakes, canals, locks, the Hudson River, and onward. Five years later, the three of them brought it back from St.Lucia to Florida. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Alex Harkness; daughter and son-in-law Anne Harkness Gilmer and James (Jay) Gilmer; son Alex (Bo) Harkness, Jr.; sister-in-law, Laura Lothrop of Jacksonville, FL; granddaughter Mary Egerton Nussbaum and her husband Brian Nussbaum and their four children, Alec, Carter, Dane and Mary Clair; and beloved nieces and nephews. There will be a memorial service Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 1:00 PM at Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Dr. L. Holton Siegling, Jr. and Rev. Dr. Michael V. Stanfield officiating. Family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials might be made to the Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church, 3700 Keowee avenue, 37919; The Inter-Faith Clinic, 315 Gill Avenue, 37915; or a charity of your choice.

Tributes

Mrs. Mary Belle Lothrop Harkness

June 7, 2014