Joan Kane Hardie

Joan Kane Hardie, 83, passed away peacefully in her Bradenton, Florida home on May 25, 2023. "Joanie" to her family, she was born on December 6, 1939 to Helen Shoesmith Kane and Paul Lewis Kane of Columbus, Ohio. She never ceased to resent her original middle name Paulette and changed it legally at her first opportunity, presaging a career-long refusal to be defined by men in her male-dominated profession. After the family welcomed another child, Suzie, they relocated to Fairmont, West Virginia, where Joan was a talented ballet dancer and majorette, and performed in a choral group at Fairmont Senior High School. She adored the family cat Miss Blue, the first of many pet cats that she would treasure. She also discovered a love for fashion and cooking, particularly Italian food. Joan attended Stevens College in Columbia, Missouri, and in 1962, graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. degree in retail science. When an early employer bought its first computer system, she joined their brand new Systems & Programming department, developing internal applications and becoming part of the first generation of commercial data analysts using data modeling. Joan found the work fascinating, making a career in the field as a database administrator and database architect, working for several companies including Amoco and Nielsen before her eventual 2005 retirement. In her twenties, Joan continued to challenge herself by enrolling in night classes, studying trigonometry and calculus for fun. She liked the Beatles, but preferred classical music; her fab four were Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and Vivaldi. Sean Connery's James Bond films sparked her lifelong interest in spy movies. Then living in Pittsburgh, Joan turned to one of the earliest computer dating services for help finding a partner. Jim Hardie started off their first date well by taking her out for Italian food. They fell in love and married in 1971 on the University of Pittsburgh campus, with Suzie as Joan's maid of honor after Joan had been hers. In 1978, Joan and Jim had one child, Scott. The family relocated to Chicago and then Washington before finally settling in St. Charles, Illinois, where they eventually built their dream home, a Southern-style ranch house on a quiet lot by the river. Joan decorated the home with her favorite Portmeirion housewares and poinsettia flowers. She enjoyed cooking new recipes whenever she could, but the dining table was often covered by one of her jigsaw puzzles in progress. When she couldn't enlist her husband or son to play one of her favorite games like Scrabble, Mastermind, or chess, she would use her computer to play solitaire or Tetris. After Jim passed away suddenly in 1997, Joan decided to relocate to Sarasota, Florida, close to where she had vacationed many times. There, she happily lived in close proximity to her son and lifelong friends, enjoying nature documentaries and ballet performances. Joan took up playing in bridge clubs around Sarasota. At one of them, she met fellow retiree Andy Perkins and discovered a mutual attraction on their first date at Sarasota's Van Wezel performing arts hall in 2007. They shared their lives from that day forward, vacationing together, living together, and seeing each other daily. Joan's final years were affected by a decline in her health, but they were as full of love, laughter, and joy as the rest of her life. Joan is survived by her longtime partner Andy Perkins, her son Scott (Kelly) Hardie, her sister Suzie (Pete) Pignetti, her niece Lisa (Todd) Murnan, and her nephew Tripp (Danietta) Pignetti. The family would like to thank all of the staff at Freedom Village of Bradenton for their care and dedication in recent years. A visitation for Joan will be open to all friends and well-wishers on June 17, 2023 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Toale Brothers Funeral Home, 912 53rd Ave W, Bradenton FL 34207. Anyone wishing to make a donation in lieu of flowers is encouraged to give to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org).

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Joan Kane Hardie

December 6, 1939 - May 25, 2023