Joan Heather Harmsen

Joan Heather Harmsen, 100, of Salem, Oregon died on March 19, 2025 in the loving embrace of family.

Joan was born December 21, 1924 in Melbourne, Australia to Angelina Challen and John Clement. She was raised and graduated high school in Adelaide, Australia. She met John Vincent Harmsen while he was in the service, stationed in Australia during WWII. They married on May 17, 1944 and she left her homeland to settle with him on the Harmsen family farm outside of Lake Wilson, MN. While there they had two children, Linda and John. After a few years they moved into town and had three more children, Heather, David and Victoria. Joan was a member of many civic organizations, enjoyed volunteering at church and school, and gave tap dancing lessons. One of her proudest moments during these years was becoming a citizen of the United States, a country she admired and loved.

Joan later worked outside the home doing office work and bookkeeping and by 1971 had saved enough to take her children to meet their grandparents in Australia. Upon Vincent’s retirement in 1980 they relocated to Independence, OR and in 1990, a few years after Vincent’s death, Joan moved to Salem, OR. A life-long advocate of higher education, Joan achieved her long-held dream of obtaining a college degree from Western Oregon University, at age 59, graduating with honors. She subsequently taught for a few years before retiring. In addition to possessing a strong compassion for others, Joan was a gifted performer and enjoyed participating in plays, especially if singing and dancing were part of the role.

On September 27, 2003 Joan married Gerald (Jerry) Perry. They enjoyed fourteen years together traveling the world, dancing and making friends at the Keizer/Salem Area Senior Center, volunteering in the community and spending time with family. Jerry passed away in 2018.

Joan is survived by her children, John (Linda) Harmsen, Williamsburg, VA, Heather Kopperud, David (Christi) Harmsen, and Victoria Harmsen, all of Portland, OR, step-daughter Carolyn Newell of Turner, OR; seven grandchildren, one step-grandson, and three great-grandchildren. Joan was predeceased by her parents, Angelina and John, husbands Vincent and Jerry, daughter Linda Gesler and step-daughter Rosalie Perry.

A special thank you to the caregivers at The Springs at Lancaster Village and at Tenderly Hospice for providing such good care of Joan. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Joan’s memory to Union Gospel Mission (Women and Children’s Ministry) at ugmsalem.org.