Lucile Harkness Pfleeger
May 6, 2024
CHARLOTTE – Lucile Harkness Pfleeger passed away on May 6, 2024. She was born on October 29, 1921 in Fredonia, NY to Roland Zello Harkness and Blanche Ella Smith. She was raised in Randolph, NY and often spoke fondly of the simple pleasures of the farm. Lucile graduated as Salutatorian of her high school at age 16 and then attended Fredonia State College to become a music teacher. She married Clarke on May 1st, 1943 after he was drafted into the US Army. After the war, Lucile and Clarke moved to NYC to attend Columbia University before moving to Glassboro in 1947. She was a lifelong learner taking classes at Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) in early child development, as well as, law and justice.
Lucile was committed to social justice, including her participation in countless organizations, boards, marches and demonstrations to drive change. Her civil rights work started through education. She and Clarke served on the committee that developed the Education Opportunity Fund (formerly the Martin Luther King Program) to increase enrollment and representation of minority students at Glassboro State College. They actively participated in organizations to prevent discrimination in the community, to include working with their church, the NAACP, the Fair Housing Commission, the board of the Economic Development for Minorities, and the Migrant Health Program. She also worked with Glassboro programs instituted to keep young people out of the court system. Lucile’s involvement inspired the beginning of her newspaper column, “A Citizen Concerned”, which she wrote for 7 and a half years on her 1937 Royal Portable Deluxe typewriter.
Lucile spent 26 years as a public school music teacher starting at the Academy Street School. She created many opportunities to expose her students to the arts and variety of performances at the college. Lucile championed preschool education in her community before Head Start Programs were mandated nationally. She was an innovative teacher, using music to teach reading and students with hearing impairments. She often attended conferences and lectures to develop new techniques from the latest research in music education and inclusion for students with disabilities. Lucile was also proud of the Pfleeger Family Piano Quartet and their involvement in the Woodbury Symphony. She and Clarke travelled the world together to attend international music education conferences and to explore music and culture. They studied early childhood education in China and music education in Hungary. Lucile described their sabbatical in Africa as the most interesting event in their lives.
Post-retirement, Lucile advocated full-time for rights and protections of women, children and the LGBTQ+ communities through organizations such as Alice Paul NOW, PASA and Rainbow Place. She lobbied her legislators by letter, telephone and personal interviews for decades. She also campaigned to ban smoking in public places. A lifelong patron of the arts, Lucile served as a charter member of Friends of the Arts at GSC/Rowan, which raised money to provide scholarships for music, art, theater and dance students. Lucile was recognized often, although she never sought awards/honors. To name a few, she received the Elliot Heard Upstream Navigator Award (1998) and the induction into the South Jersey Now Alice Paul Hall of Fame (1997). The Women’s Studies Community at Rowan University presented “Lucile Pfleeger Day” on March 27, 2002 for unselfish devotion and distinguished service. Later, in her early 90’s, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP.
Most of all she will be remembered as a caring wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Always on the go, she shared her love of the arts, community, teaching, and helping others. She inspired a legacy of optimism and bravery, as she often challenged the status quo and did not waver in her commitment to improve quality of life for others. She is survived by her daughter in-law Santina, grandchildren, Sharon, Roy, Michelle and Kimberly, as well as her twin great-grandsons, Russell and Phillip. Lucile is preceded in death by her husband, W. Clarke Pfleeger, daughter, Karen Pfleeger Smith, and son, David Pfleeger.
A memorial service will be held at 11 am on Tuesday, August 6th, 2024 at the Manahath cemetery in Glassboro, NJ.
Memorials may be offered in memory of Lucile to the Dr. W. Clarke Pfleeger Scholarship Endowment at: Rowan University Foundation, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701.
Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.
Comments
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Aunt Lucile,
As you all know, Lucile Pfleeger was a special person. She was always on the go, spear heading some cause or another. Growing up in conservative western New York, I thought she was a little weird. It must have been the time she spent in New York City while Uncle Clarke was getting his Ph. D. at Columbia University. Who spends their free time integrating swimming pools and where were these pools? I guess I had never been to a pool that was not integrated.
Every thanksgiving Aunt Lucile, Uncle Clarke, Karen and David would drive up from New Jersey to Dunkirk, NY to celebrate with Clarke’s brother (George) and sister (Carol) families at their parents’ home. Carol came from Ohio and George from Jamestown, NY. This annual gathering of the family was a great celebration with children running around while Grandma (Helen) made mass quantities of food which was enjoyed by all. Although her husband (Walter) complained that he would be eating leftovers for weeks. It was at these meals and afterwards, where Aunt Lucile would share parts of her life from pushing pianos down the halls in schools where she taught to their activities trying to help those whose lives were less fortunate than theirs.
Herb Harkness, Lucile brother lived in Randolph, NY where she grew up. Politically they could not have been more different. At Christmas they would get together in Randolph with their parents. At one of these gatherings, Lucile presented a slide show which included a picture of my sister Susan. Herb’s son Lee took an interest in this picture and eventually Susan and Lee got married. David and Karen performed at their wedding. You probably didn’t know that Lucile could also play “Cupid”.
After I graduated from college and moved to the west coast, I saw them infrequently. However, I will always remember Aunt Lucile for her sacrifices to make the world a better place. She was a special person and is an example for all of us.
Thomas Pfleeger -
Lucile was a beautiful person. I met her thru her son, Dave. He would bring her to events at the Charlotte Rescue Mission. She was generous to the Mission and really cared about the less fortunate. The world is a better place because of Lucile.
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Aunt Lucile was a 'one of a kind'! She was an amazing woman and role model - combining career and family with extensive interests, travel, and social advocacy. She was an original multi-tasker always juggling projects and causes, with her musical endeavors and performances, plus nurturing family relationships. And in her spare time, she attended multiple professional sporting events with her husband and children. I remember when she and Clarke drove across country to Denver for the NOW convention probably in the '70s. They arrived dressed in their colorful African shirt and dashiki in a very compact car with Sharon( granddaughter) and a giant stuffed pink panther in the back seat. They had had an uproarious time driving together but upon arrival they switched gears to focus on needed social agendas. Such was their busy life of varied and constant activity!
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Mrs. Pfleeger was a wonderful teacher who instilled a love of music in many children. I will always remember so fondly. I can picture her right now, wearing a dashiki and teaching us to play the autoharp.
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"I'M GONNA RAID THAT REFRIGERATOR"...She was an inspiring soul when she taught us music class in the mid 1970's...From her harpsichord and African instruments to her kindness and choices in songs...I remember a lot of "California Dreaming" Thank you!!... BE at Peace, Edwin Young
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