Alexander Harkness

1927 - 2016

Alexander Harkness

Knoxville, TN

Alexander Jones Harkness died Tuesday, November 15, 2016. He was born in Jellico, Tennessee, May 26, 1927, the son of David Alexander and Jessie Jones Harkness, and was also preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Mary Belle Lothrop Harkness; his sister, Jane Harkness Hutchins; his brother, David James Harkness; his grandson, David Scull Egerton, Jr.; his brother-in-law, Douglas Bradford Lothrop, Jr.; his brother-in-law, Clinton Dooley Lothrop; and his sister-in-law, Frances McAmis Lothrop.

After graduating from Jellico High School in 1945 and serving on active duty in the U.S. Naval Reserve, he served in the SeaBees in the inactive Reserve. Alex attended the University of Tennessee where he was initiated into Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity and then started his career in the construction business with Stuart Fonde and Martin L. Bartling, Jr. building homes in West Knoxville. He and his brother-in-law, Doug Lothrop later started Harkness and Lothrop Construction Co. developing Bradford Acres Subdivision and building homes both there and in the general Rocky Hill area. As owner of Harkness Construction Co. he developed and built the homes in Forest Brook Park Subdivision and homes in other areas while his wife served as design consultant and interior decorator. Later, Alex and Tyke Ellis, Jr. were the East Tennessee representatives and builders of Stran Steel pre-engineered buildings becoming a member of the Associated General Contractors of America.

In partnership with John N. Caldwell, they designed and constructed their own brand of custom swimming pools. In association with H. Pat Wood, he developed Town View Terrace, Town View Towers and Isabella Towers apartments. For many years, he and his wife, and later his son, owned and operated a yacht charter service on the island of St. Lucia in the West Indies. He previously served as President of the Home Builders Association of Greater Knoxville; on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Home Builders; on the Board of the Better Business Bureau and Knox Heritage; Division Chairman of the United Fund; as Board Member and Vice President of the Greater Knoxville Chamber of Commerce; as Vice Chairman of the Metropolitan Planning Commission and as a member of the Knoxville City Council for two terms. At the time, he was the youngest person to have served on City Council. Prior to his death, Dwight Kessell and he were the oldest living former councilmen. They joked that they were the last to have survived serving with Cas Walker.

He had served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons and was an Elder in Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church. He was a Member of Cherokee Country Club and a previous member of Civitan Club. He was previously active in both the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Power Squadron. He held the majority ownership in and served as the General Partner of Station Eighty-Two, Ltd. which he organized in 1980 to restore the Historic L&N Station, Depot and Foundry in the World's Fair Park. He placed these three building on the National Register of Historic Places. He later converted the Station and Depot for their present use as the L&N STEM Academy. Alex has served as Chairman of the Transportation and Parking Committee of the Central Business Improvement District and as Vice President of the Knoxville Tourist Board on which he served for over 20 years. Later serving on the board of its successor, the Knoxville Tourism Alliance (predecessor to the Greater Knoxville Hospitality Association). He was appointed by Mayor Victor Ashe to the Mayor's Task Force on Billboards of which he served as Chairman. In recent years, he continued his community service through volunteer work with VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) helping prepare tax returns.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Anne Harkness Gilmer and James (Jay) Gilmer; son, Alex (Bo) Harkness, Jr.; sister-in-law, Laura Egerton Lothrop, of Jacksonville, FL. Also surviving are granddaughter, Mary Egerton Nussbaum and her husband Brian Nussbaum; and four great-grandchildren, Alec, Carter, Dane and Mary Clair Nussbaum; and nephews, David Ronald Hutchins and Thomas R. Hutchins and their wives and children. He leaves many very special relatives and friends who have meant so much to him, especially since the death of Mary Belle.

A private interment service will be held by the family. A memorial service will be held in the chapel at Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church on Monday, November 21, 2016 at 2:30. Rev. Dr. L. Holton Siegling, Jr., Rev. Mark D. Lampley and Rev. Rachel Hamburger officiating. The family will visit with friends afterward in the reception room. Memorials may be made to Sequoyah Hills Church, 3700 Keowee Ave., Knoxville, TN 37919, or to the charity of your choice.