Ann Tukey Harrison

Ann Tukey Harrison, PhD of East Lansing, Michigan passed away at age 83 at Lansing Sparrow Hospital on October 28, 2021.  She was Professor of French at Michigan State University for 34 years.

Ann was born April 19, 1938, in Geneva, NY, to Dr. Harold and Ruth (Schweigert) Tukey.  She was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Lansing on October 31. She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years Professor of Physics Michael Harrison, her parents and her three brothers, Loren, Ronald and Harold and sister Lois.  She is survived by her companion of recent years, Gordon Miracle, sisters-in-laws Louise Tukey (Loren), Betty Tukey (Ronald), Tish Tukey (Harold), Esther (Jerome) Delson, numerous nieces and nephews, and her large community of friends.

Ann grew up in East Lansing and graduated from East Lansing High School in 1954.  She received the BA in French in 1957 from Michigan State University, and the MA in French in 1958 and PhD in Linguistics in 1962 from the University of Michigan.  She was awarded a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship in 1957-1958 to support her MA program at the University of Michigan and served as a teaching assistant during her Ph.D. program.

Ann’s first university appointment was at the University of Wisconsin in the Department of French as an instructor in 1961-63 and then Assistant Professor in 1963-65.

In 1965 she returned to Michigan State University where she was appointed first as Associate Professor and then as Professor in the Department of Romance Languages and Classical Studies.  She specialized in medieval French literature, publishing books, scholarly articles and other publications on that and other topics. Ann was a past President of the Michigan Foreign Language Association, and past national Vice President of the American Association of Teachers of French.  In mid-career the MSU Board of Trustees designated her as a University Distinguished Professor, in recognition of her nationally and internationally important achievements.  She retired in 1999 as Professor Emerita.

Ann and her husband Michael, were two of the founding members of Congregation Kehillat Israel in Lansing, which, from its inception in 1970, adopted the principle that women should be full egalitarian participants in Jewish life and Jewish services.

Ann traveled to more than 30 countries. After retirement she taught several courses on a variety of international historical topics in the MSU Evening College. She also volunteered her time to give several series of lectures on similar topics at Burcham Hills, a facility for retirees. She was an engaging lecturer, much enjoyed by all.

We will miss her smile, her friendship, her penchant for thrift store bargains and her love of community and family.  She was everyone’s favorite Aunt.   Her loyalty will always be first and foremost to MSU – go Spartans!

Donations can be made in her memory to your favorite local charity.