Obituary for Alice T. Harte
Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, December 12, 1999. [3]
1945 John Joseph Meakins Harte, son of John Joseph Meakins Harte and Alice Eleanor Taylor, was born on February 12 in Travis County, Texas. [1]
1999 Alice T. Harte died on 9 December. Her last residence was Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. She was born 27 December 1909. [2] An obituary states,
1999 Joseph M. Harte died on 19 December. His last residence was Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. He was born 28 July 1914. [4]
In Memorium [5]:
The Right Reverend John Joseph Meakin Harte, second bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona was born in Springfield, Ohio, on July 28, 1914. He was graduated from Springfield High School in 1932. In 1936, with the help of a football scholarship, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington and Jefferson College, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi social fraternity. He not only excelled in football (with a very brief professional football career with the Green Bay Packer organization), Bishop Harte was also a Golden Gloves Boxing champion and president of his fraternity.
Following his 1939 graduation from the General Theological Seminary, and subsequent ordination at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, he served congregations in Miami, Oklahoma, and Tulsa. It was at Trinity Church, Tulsa, that he met Alice Taylor on Easter Sunday, 1941. He proposed that day, on their first date. She returned to her native Pennsylvania the following day, having neither accepted nor refused his proposal. A week later she telephoned to accept his proposal and they were married on October 14, 1941. The Hartes moved to Rochester, New York; Austin, Texas; and Erie, Pennsylvania to serve congregations. It was while he was Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in Erie that he was elected Bishop Suffragan of Dallas in 1954.
Dean Harte was consecrated Bishop on the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul at St. Matthew's Cathedral, Dallas. He served there until his election as the second diocesan Bishop of Arizona in 1962. His Episcopate was distinguished by the extraordinary growth of the Church in Arizona. He was devoted to mission, and he worked to establish many new congregations during his sixteen-year tenure. In the late 1960's and early 1970's, as the nation was being torn by rioting, he worked with ecumenical colleagues to successfully prevent rioting in Phoenix. He was subsequently honored with the Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
The Book of Common Prayer was one of Bishop Harte's great loves. He was the author of several tracts on the development of the Prayer Book and rejoiced in the opportunity to serve the Standing Liturgical Commission, 1968-1972, during the revision process. Of the numerous organizations he joined, his association with the Society of St. John the Evangelist, with his fraternity, and with Rotary International were primary. Perhaps most of all, Joseph Harte will be remembered as an extraordinary lover of people. His ability to recall names was renowned, and simply an indication of his love for each and every person he met. He had the ability to make anyone feel special because he actually thought they were special.
Following his retirement in 1978, he spent the next twenty years as Bishop in Residence at All Saints Church, Phoenix, enjoying participation in the services of the Day School most of all.
Bishop and Alice Harte enjoyed fifty-eight years of marriage and their devotion to one another was apparent to all. Not only did they grow old together, but Alice preceded Joe in death by just ten days.
Funeral services were held for John Joseph Meakin Harte on December 22, 1999, at Trinity Cathedral in Phoenix. The Right Reverend Robert Reed Shahan was the celebrant and preacher for the service. The internment following in Trinity Cathedral.
Bishop Harte is survived by three children: Victoria Harte Money of Eugene, Oregon; The Reverend Joseph M. Harte, Jr. of Flagstaff, Arizona; Dr. Judith Harte of Albany, California; and five grandchildren.
I will remember Joe Harte as a man of courage, sensitivity, compassion, and dignity who lived a full life and died in the knowledge that Jesus is Lord and that death has been conquered. He lived in such a way that his life could be an inspiration to others. Few of us could ask for more. The last word I heard him say was, "Alleluia."
Robert Reed Shahan, Ph.D., D.D.
Bishop of Arizona
An Obituary [6] for The Right Reverend John Joseph Meakin Harte reports:
The Rt. Rev. Joseph M. Harte, Second Bishop of Arizona, died in Phoenix on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2 days after the 60th anniversary of his ordination as a priest, and 10 days after the death of Alice, his beloved wife of 58 years.
Bishop Harte was born in Springfield, Ohio on July 28, 1914, son of Charles Edward and Ruth Elizabeth Harte. He graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania with the help of a football scholarship. Not only did he excel in football (with a very brief professional football career), Harte was also a Golden Gloves Boxing champion and president of his Fraternity, Beta Theta Pi.
Following his 1939 graduation from The General Theological Seminary, and ordination at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, he served congregations in Miami, Oklahoma and Tulsa. It was at Trinity Church, Tulsa, that he met Alice Taylor on Easter Sunday 1941. He proposed that day, on their first date. She returned to her native Pennsylvania the follow day, having neither accepted, nor refused. A week later she telephoned to accept his proposal. They were married on October 14, 1941.
The Hartes moved to Rochester, New York, Austin, Texas and Erie, Pennsylvania to serve congregations. It was while he was Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in Erie that he was elected Suffragan Bishop of Dallas in 1954. Dean Harte was consecrated Bishop on the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Dallas. He served there until his election as the second Bishop of Arizona in1962.
His Episcopate was distinguished by the extraordinary growth of the Church in Arizona. Bishop Harte's heart was in mission, and he worked to establish many, many new congregations during his 16 years as diocesan. In the late 60's and early 70's, as the nation was torn by rioting, he worked with Rabbi Albert Plotkin and Msgr. Robert Donohoe to successfully prevent rioting in Phoenix. As a result, they were honored with the Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
The Book of Common Prayer was one of Bishop Harte's great loves. He is the author of several booklets about the development of the prayer book, and rejoiced in the opportunity to serve the Standing Liturgical Commission, 1968-1972, during the revision process. Of the numerous organizations he joined, his association with the Society of St. John the Evangelist, with his fraternity, and with Rotary International were primary.
Perhaps most of all, Joseph Harte will be remembered as an extraordinary lover of people. His ability to recall names was renowned, and simply an indication of his love for each and every human being he met.
Following his retirement in 1978, he spent the next 20 years as Bishop in Residence at All Saints, Phoenix, enjoying the weekly Day School Services most of all.
He is survived by three children: Victoria Harte Money of Eugene, Oregon; The Rev. Joseph M. Harte, Jr., of Flagstaff, Arizona; and Dr. Judith Harte of Albany, California; and 5 grandchildren.
A requiem Mass will be held at 2:00 p.m., Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix, on Wednesday, 22 December. Committal in the Trinity Columbarium will follow.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix, or to The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Flagstaff, Arizona.
Who Was Who in America [7] reported:
John Joseph Meakins Harte (Deceased)
Occupation: bishop
Born: Springfield, Ohio, July 28, 1914
Education
AB, Washington and Jefferson College, 1936
DD (hon.), Washington & Jefferson College, 1954
STM, General Theological Seminary, 1939
STD (hon.), General Theological Seminary, 1955
Doctor in Ministry, General Theological Seminary, 1985
DD (hon.), University South, 1955
Certification
Ordained to ministry Episcopalian Church, 1939.
Career
Rector All Saints' Church, Miami, Oklahoma, 1939-41; curate Trinity Church, Tulsa, 1941-42; rector St. George's Church, Rochester, New York, 1942-43, All Saints' Church, Austin, Texas, 1943-51; chaplain Episcopal students University Texas; dean St. Paul's Cathedral, Erie, Pennsylvania, 1951-54; suffragan bishop Dioceses of Dallas, 1954-62; bishop Diocese of Arizona, 1962-80
Career Related
Board directors Citibank, Arizona, General Convention Episcopal Church, 1952; chairman St. Luke's Hospital, Tucson, 1962-80, St. Luke's Hospital Medical Center, Phoenix, 1962-80; trustee Bloy Episcopal School Theology; president Pacific Province, 1967-68.
Creative Works
Author: Some Sources of Common Prayer, 1944, The Language of the Book of Common Prayer, 1945, The Title Page of the Book of Common Prayer, 1946, The Church's Name, 1958, The Elizabethan Prayer Book, 1959, The 1662 Prayer Book, 1962.
Awards
Named Man of Year National Conference of Christians and Jews, Arizona, 1969, Anti-Defamation League, Arizona, 1975.
Civic
Board directors Human Rights Commission City of Phoenix, 1962-65.
Memberships
Member National Organization Episcopalians for Life (chairman, founder 1966—), Am. Legion, Beta Theta Pi. Lodges: Shriners (Imperial chaplain 1962-65), Knight Templar (Grand chaplain 1951-52), Masons.
Family
son of Charles Edward and Ruth Elizabeth (Weisenstein) H.; married Alice Eleanor Taylor, October 14, 1941; children: Victoria Ruth, Joseph Meakins Junior, Judith Alice.
Address
Office: 6300 N Central Ave Phoenix AZ 85012-1109
Death
Died 19 December, 1999.
[1] Texas, U.S., Birth Index, 1903-1997, [AncestryRecord].
[2] United States Social Security Death Index, [FamilySearchRecord].
[3] Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, December 12, 1999, page 58, [NewspapersClip].
[4] United States Social Security Death Index, [FamilySearchRecord].
[5] "Spring Meeting of the House of Bishops, UCLA Conference Center - Diocese of Los Angeles, Lake Arrowhead, California, March 30 - April 4, 2000, [http://www.churchpublishing.org/general_convention/pdf_gc_2000_journal/cpi_journal_lakearrowhead.pdf].
[6] Personal Communication, From: Joe Harte joeharte@infomagic.com, [http://www.andromeda.rutgers.edu/~lcrew/harte_obit.html].
[7] Who Was Who in America - Volume 15, 2002-2004.