Joan is survived by her devoted husband of almost 63 years, Francis Ogilvie; her loving children Nancy Ogilvie, Beth Ogilvie and her partner, Susan Straghalis, and Ken Ogilvie and his wife, Sue Anderson; many cousins, nieces and nephews; and a wide circle of friends. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 pm on October 24, 2013 in the Hanson Room at Glacier Hills, 1200 Earhart Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105.
Joan was born in Atlantic City, NJ to Tom and Beth Husselton and grew up there. She studied hotel management at Cornell University, where Francis was also a student, and they were married in 1950.
Joan will be remembered fondly by many friends in the communities where she and Francis lived over their long and devoted marriage. These include Washington, DC; San Diego and Berkeley, CA; London, England; Ann Arbor, MI (the first time from 1967 to 1982); Boston, MA; and Tucson, AZ. They returned to Ann Arbor to live at Glacier Hills Senior Living Community in January 2010. She was an ardent fan of Michigan football for over 45 years.
Joan was a full-time homemaker for most of her life, devoted to caring for her family. She was a gracious hostess to many social gatherings associated with Francis' role as a department head at The University of Michigan and later MIT. She also served as the church-school secretary at First Congregational Church in Ann Arbor and volunteered as a bookkeeper at the Poor People's United Fund (PPUF) in Boston.
In addition, her life was an unfolding spiritual journey, taking her traveling through every major Protestant denomination except Lutheranism over her life. She contributed her beautiful soprano voice to many choirs and otherwise generously volunteered her time at church, in her children's classrooms, and other nonprofit organizations. She completed a 2-year course entitled "Education for Ministry" through Grace St. Paul's Church in Tucson.
Memorial contributions may be made to either of the following organizations, both of which were near and dear to Joan's heart:
- Poor People's United Fund (PPUF -- see http://www.ppuf.org) an organization in Boston that provides a voice for poor and homeless people and advocates for change in current policies, programs, conditions and perceptions to alleviate the pain and suffering they endure. Joan volunteered in their office during the time she and Francis lived in the Boston area.
- The Society of St. John the Evangelist (SSJE -- see http://www.ssje.org) is a monastic order of the Episcopal Church in Boston with a ministry of hospitality offering silent retreats at two retreat houses. Joan's spiritual life was enriched by participating in a variety of retreats and developing special connections with many of the brothers. It was SSJE and their worship services that led her to become an Episcopalian.
