I can count on one hand the special people and the special experiences in my life that I will never forget. I had both in South Africa with Joan. Not only was she so much fun to be with, ever curious, ever generous, and often full of the best kind of outrageousness, but she was so very serious about the job she had at Philani. With her huge heart and huge talent and abundant energy, every night she would prepare her class for the next day. Undaunted in the beginning by a sea of faces looking at her like she came from a different planet, she plowed ahead in teaching them Lino-cut printing under the most basic conditions. Even though only one of them spoke broken English, she was able to convey the technique through hand language and example. She won their skeptical hearts in no time at all. She gave them confidence to expand their creativity, and to believe in their own inherent talent to express themselves. I know Joan was a light in their lives as well.

But my lasting vision of Joan will be in her garden, showing off her luscious vegetables and herbs. What a garden, and what a family she grew!

Kate Somers

I hope my photos from our trip are attached!

Sometimes, you meet just the right person at the right time, and they become a beloved lifelong friend. Joan Needham was that kind of friend. Charley had met her through art classes in the Princeton area in the early 1980’s, and they would pal around, go to NYC to shows together, talk about art, drink lots of wine. When Charley and I got together in 1986, Joan was one of the first of his friends to welcome me, and it went far beyond that. I had just graduated from Penn State architecture school and I moved to the Princeton area to be with Charley and work in various architecture firms. Joan saw the naive kid I was, and took me under her wing and took me shopping for “professional” clothing. She taught me how to host dinner parties without losing the sense of fun of it all. She had already raised six amazing kids, five daughters and a son, about my age, all of whom had gone on to live their own colorful lives, and I often felt like her seventh kid. She and Joe had a solid loving marriage and that was also inspiring as Charley and I built our relationship. She hosted birthday parties and my bridal shower, and opened her home to my friends to prepare for my wedding. She made and taught art and lived a happy life, staying fit, eating well, helping others, and never forgetting to play. These photos I’m sharing here are just a few of the many wonderful times we had together. Unfortunately, over the past few years, we only saw one another rarely, due to distance and general busy-ness, but I have always carried her and Joe in my heart as touchstones and examples of lives well lived. We lost Joan, our beloved friend, this past Wednesday, August 3. She was surrounded by her loving kids and her dear husband.

R.I.P. Joanie B.

Charley and I love you.