June Loris Harkins, loving wife, mother, and a light to all who met her, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, January 15, 2024, on her late husband, Glenn's, 103rd birthday. A visitation will be held on January 20, 2024, at St. Richard Catholic Church at 10:00am, with a funeral Mass afterward at 11:00 am. The graveside service will follow at Cedar Lawn Cemetery.
Mrs. Harkins was born on August 2, 1925, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the youngest daughter of the late Hattie Bell Jordan Loris and Demetrius “James” Loris. She met and married her husband, Joseph "Glenn" Harkins, at the age of 18. Soon after, her husband left to serve his country in World War II, where he participated in the D-DAY invasion. She kept a rosary close always, praying for his safe return. Not long after he left, she gave birth to their first child, Beth. After her husband returned home from war, they moved to Jackson, MS, where their love grew into a family of five children.
Mrs. Harkins was the heart of her family, whether you called her June, or Mimi, or Gamaw. She had a twinkle in her eye and an ever-present positive attitude in all situations throughout her life. She had music in her heart, and played accordion, carrying it many blocks to perform at the movie theater in the 1930s. She loved to cook and entertain, and always made sure everyone felt welcome. She never met a stranger. She excelled in all that she did, whether be it expert gardening, caring for her large family, sewing for her children, making prom or wedding attire, and even pajamas for nuns at St. Richards. Later on, her love for people carried over as she adeptly handled customer contacts and orders for her son Greg's business, Greg Harkins Chairs.
There truly wasn’t anything she couldn’t do. She was an avid collector; if she found something she truly liked, she often collected it: sea shells from annual family trips to Indian Rocks Beach, FL, plate blocks of postage stamps, German Nutcrackers and holiday treasures, and pottery from Guatemala, to name a few. If there was fun to be had, she would find it. She was often the life of the party and was once was gifted a tambourine, after a band decided she could play it better than they could! She was a beautiful person both inside and out, with her dark hair and gorgeous features reflecting her Greek heritage.
Mrs. Harkins was a charter communicant of St. Richard Catholic Church and advocate of the Rosary since she was a little girl.
Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Joseph Glenn Harkins. Survivors include: daughter, Beth Bivens and husband Leon, of Pearl; daughter, Gail Occhi and husband Robert, of Gulfport; son, Joseph Gregory Harkins, of Canton; daughter, Lynn Nejam and husband Waddell, of Jackson; daughter, Jean Corbello and her husband, Brent, of Jackson; 16 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter and three nieces, two great-nieces, and a great-nephew.
